Phantom Family of Jump
by LarsEversea143
Summary: Thirteen years. So long has it been since the Teen Titans vanished on a mission. They left behind many things, but one of those is a young girl who doesn't know who her real parents are... Yet. Follow her and her friends as they find out the truth, and how the journey of discovery will create a new family. A new Generation! -Rating might change-
1. Prologue: Dusk

**I... I haven't written something in here... For _so_ long. I... Guys, I know it's been a while. And I know, things will be confusing for a moment. I've started this new story for a reason, and the first one is that I would like to make an announcement. I, officially, have decided to end my work on every single Danny Phantom story right now in my library. I know, it doesn't seem fair for all those who've already favorited or followed those other stories, but I just can't find myself doing anything else on them anymore. Those stories in there right now, the not-completed ones? They, I'm going to put them in discontinued, and leave everything as it is. No endings, no continuation.**

**Instead, I'm starting all over. A new story, a new plot. This one, it was inspired by someone who wrote a fairly decent crossover story of Danny Phantom and Teen Titans. I will be taking inspiration, but the majority of this work is going to be all ME. It's based on something I actually hadn't payed so much attention on until I looked at the details.**

**I have a simple question to those who are reading this starting note: Did you, or anyone else, ever mention how strange it is that Sam didn't have anything in common with her parents? Not their hair-color (Sam's black hair is natural, to those who are wondering), not their eye-color, not even the way she looks! She has zero in common with them, both personality and appearance wise. Ask yourself this, if that's the case, then what is Sam, really?**

**Could she be... Adopted?**

**That, is the only hint I'm going to give. No more questions. Instead, let's start, with the prologue!**

**#Update: June 5, 2019#**

**Simply added a few lines here and there, taking out small mistakes. Just keep on reading, people.**

* * *

Prologue: Dusk Falls

Sam has always considered herself the most 'normal' in all of Amity Park.

Sure, she hangs out with a guy who's technically, half-dead. Her second-best friend is a hardcore carnivore who often than not irritates her to no end. She herself is an ultra-recyclo-vegetarian, never to eat anything meat or with a face in her life.

She's always considered herself the most reasonable, the most 'normal' of anyone in all of Amity Park, despite everything she just said. She isn't as dumb and arrogant like Dash, as pinprick and smug like Paulina, or as dangerously annoying like Valerie.

She's normal. A normal, goth-girl who sometimes can pick up the feelings of anyone around her.

Yeah, did she forget the last part? Funny story, that…

It's always been something unique about her, something… Strange. Stranger than having a half-ghost for friend or fighting said friend's ghostly enemies by sucking them into metal thermoses.

Her ability to feel the emotions of others, no matter how hard they're faces are to read. Or even if they're not facing her at all.

Sam doesn't know when it started, or even exactly _how_ she realized it. She can't exactly describe _how_ it feels, either, sensing the emotions of other people. It's like breaking past a portion of their privacy, looking deeper and catching onto those hidden feelings no one normally sees, or should see. But although she knows how it works for the most part, she doesn't know how to control it. She can't stop it, nor contain it. It's something about her she can't control no matter how much she tries.

It shows up at seemingly random moments, and never lasts for the same length. It popped up during her walks home, and she can feel all the emotions of every pedestrian around her for a hundred-mile radius. She's never come home faster in her life before. The same happened in school in the halls, sensing all those mixed emotions from passing students, overwhelming her almost completely. especially when the A-listers came. Those guys really have dirty minds.

It has its positives, like sensing when someone is lying. They feel guilt and regret, and sometimes so strong she can practically hear them think _'I'm lying, please don't catch me'_.

She can sense when someone feels endangered, they often feel distressed, scared or even disgusted.

Ever since the Disasteroid, she's also been able to pick up on something new. Feelings directed about her. Strong feelings.

She's never actually sensed the love coming from her parents, as little as it might be (she believes so at least). Her senses never came up when she was around her parents. Only when she had been around Danny after a date did she suddenly start sensing something. Something deep and strong and unbelievably true.

It was warm, soft, kind and tender. Caring and protective and _strong_. Unimaginably strong.

And it came from Danny. The love he holds for her, she felt it, sensed it. It was unbelievable. Forget that fuzzy and soft feeling whenever he told her he loves her; _sensing_ his love for her, it was like seeing fireworks for the first time all over again. Times ten.

Never before had she been so certain of her feelings for the half-ghost boythen on that very moment.

But although you'd never hear her complain about this special aspect about her she can't explain, it's always made her wonder. What else about herself doesn't she know?

Sometimes, you'd rather not ask. There's no guarantee you'll like the answer.

Sam knows she sure didn't.

* * *

"Are you adopted?"

The question was simple. Three words. Pure, innocent, a question that appeared so unpredicted into the conversation that whatever they'd been talking about before was quickly forgotten.

Tucker's question took Sam aback for a moment, and even Danny fell silent.

"What?" She asked incredulously, not having expected something like that in the slightest. Tucker looked up from his PDA, looking like he'd already forgotten he even asked.

But he hadn't.

"I asked if you're adopted."

"Why would you even ask that, Tucker?" Danny asked, just as surprised as Sam. Why would you ask something like that? Although it is a good question… Something that the teen boy might have considered once… Or twice… Or thrice. Have you ever _seen_ how different Sam is from her parents? You'd understand why, then.

"I'm pretty sure that my parents are my _real_ parents, Tucker." She stated, hoping to get over with this and continue where they'd last been before Tucker had interrupted. But it seemed like the techno-geek wasn't done with her yet.

"Really? No offence, but I'm actually not that sure, Sam."

She gave a somewhat undignified splutter before turning to Danny, hoping he could defuse the situation before she commits a crime like homicide.

"Danny, please tell me he isn't serious?"

"I… I don't know, Sam." Danny stated softly, voice betraying his own uncertainty, and maybe also the fact he was slightly agreeing with Tucker on this one. "It actually isn't such a bad question."

"Come on! You guys can't be serious! What even brought this up?"

"Well," Tucker started, putting his PDA aside for once in the pocket of his pants. "For starters, you aren't the picture-perfect family, you know."

"Thanks for the head's up." She deadpanned. That wasn't exactly a secret only they know. Everyone in town who know the Manson's know that the relationship between Sam and her parents is strained at best.

"Now that I think about it, we've seen your parents, Sam. You… Don't exactly look much alike." Danny added, and this time she wasn't going to hold u the rising indignation and anger. What are they even thinking asking that of her?!

"Then I'm more like my grandmother."

"No, she doesn't really look much like you either."

"What? But, it's ridiculous! I know my parents, Danny! They'd never lie to me about something like that!" She countered, getting a bit closer to face with the halfa. He backed up a little, bit didn't concede. She might not admit it, but despite her strained relationship with her parents, Sam knows they'd never lie to her about something so serious. They still love her, even if it might be less than any normal parent's love.

In any way, they'd never lie to her about something so important, right?

Right?

"You don't have the best of parent-child relationships, Sam. You don't look like them, either."

"Then tell me how."

Danny actually dared to smirk at her, seemingly happy to oblige to her demand. "Well, first you don't have their eye-color. Your eyes are a purplish violet, not blue or green. You don't have blonde hair, and we know you're naturally black, you've never dyed your hair before. And didn't you say your mom has a genetic birthmark? That you didn't heritage?"

At this point Sam was livid. She had a string of retorts ready, her entire position read hostile. Yet, at the very moment she wanted to start ranting, her mind decided to actually review the entire list. And it came out as logically reasonable. They actually _made_ a point.

She fell silent, gaping slightly at Danny, who couldn't fight back the triumphant smirk because he got her silent. She was beyond speechless. Firstly, she didn't think he'd actually pay so much attention on detail, let alone how she looks in comparison to her parents, causing a small blush to form. Secondly, everything he's pointed out actually makes sense, as strange as it sounds. She doesn't have their eye-color. Her hair is, in fact, naturally jet-black. And she's always wondered about that birthmark her mom has, but she doesn't. It's supposed to be a genetically heritage thing. How come she doesn't have it? Why aren't her eyes blue or green? Why isn't she a natural blonde like her parents? The blush from before quickly fell away.

Was she really that blind to everything? That she didn't see the differences lying right under her nose? In plain sight, no less!

But, if that's really true… Then that means they've lied to her for all of her entire life! Why? For what purpose? And if it's true, who are her real parents then? Where are they? Are they still alive? Does she have any other family? Brothers, sisters, siblings in general?

What if all of her life was just one, big fat… Lie. What then?

She'd left the two behind without even realizing it. Danny and Tucker shared a worried glance. Sam hadn't even noticed how her face had twisted with emotion, and tears even had started forming in the corner of her eyes before she had stormed off.

Will she be alright? They decided that leaving her alone for now was a good choice.

* * *

By the time she got back home and went up to the attic, Sam had managed to gather her thoughts together and keep face. Her parents weren't home yet, it was a Saturday and that's when they normally go out for the day to review some of their financial stuff. She was home alone, her grandmother off as well for a game at the local care-home.

Perfect moment to go up to the attic and look for the one thing that could make or break everything.

Her baby-pictures.

Sam admits, she's never actually seen any of her baby-pictures before, or at least not the oldest of them. Sure, some have her when she was three or two years old, the oldest never actually having had her parents in them though, but she's never seen those oh-so-infamous birth-pictures. Everyone has one from the day they're born.

And if they show her with her parents, then that should be enough, right?

Right.

So, up the stairs she went, opening the door leading into the attic of the house. She coughed a little when moving the door alone kicked up a dust-cloud that almost blinded her, and she quickly fanned her hand to try and get the dust to get out of her face.

Great start, Sam.

She looked across the organized mess that made up everything her parents have put here. Stuff they no longer need, old things that are rather forgotten then remembered. One box she put here herself, the one containing all her old clothes from before she became a goth.

Those frilly dresses still haunt her to this day.

'_Focus.'_ She mentally berated herself, turning away from everything to look for any pictures. She knows she won't find one in her parents room, she's gone through that place many times to know that.

Box after box she looked and moved, rummaging through some she thinks might hold a clue. She opens drawers, boxes and other stuff.

When her eyes fell on a large chest that looked to not have been opened for ages, she rolled her eyes. Cliché much?

'_Still, it's better than nothing.'_

The lock was easy picked, doing a silent cheer when it clicked and fell of with a clang. Sam pried open the chest, eyes scanning the contents. It were simple things. Some old clothes, stuff from back when. Only when her eyes landed on what looked to be an old brown file-envelope, tucked away in a crook of the chest's bottom, did she actually realize what she was doing.

Her heart quickened, and suddenly fear seemed to crawl up her spine, something that rarely happens with her. Sam Manson doesn't scare easily. What if she's wrong? What if her parents are, in fact, not her parents?

Should she be doing this? Maybe it's better if she just leaves, and never thinks about it again…

'_No.'_ She stopped herself before she ran away, holding her spot and forcing that irrational fear back into her mind. _'I need to know. Otherwise I'll never stop thinking about it.'_

She grabbed the envelope, hand shaking with both anticipation and anxiety.

She found a name written on it.

Her breath caught in her throat.

Her heart sped up faster than a bullet.

Her face fell, mind filling with sadness and betrayal

"No…"

Written on the brown envelope, in clear blue pen and in a style she's never seen before, one not belonging to herself or her parents. Not even her grandmother's.

Samantha Logan.

The top was lazily clipped together with a paperclip, and before Sam even understood what she was doing, her hand had removed it and reached inside the envelope.

She hesitated.

Does she really want to know? When she does… There will be no going back.

'_I have to do this. For my own sake.'_

She removed a picture from inside the brown file-holder.

Her eyes widened in pure shock and her mind just… Stopped.

It was a nice picture, good quality and clearly made with great care. It showed a beautiful woman, lying in a hospital bed. Her skin was a milky gray, a bit like her own. Dark purple hair lied disheveled around her, and sweat made her skin shine slightly. The woman's eyes looker tired, purple-violet pupils looking down with care and love at a small form in her arms.

In her arms, cradled together in a soft purple-ish blanket, was a baby. Skin fair as porcelain, slightly red-tinted. Similar purple eyes, almost violet from an angle, looked through half-lidded eyes, chubby hands grabbing upwards slightly, with a soft toothless smile filled with newborn innocence. The baby's hair was a little off, purple with a few green streaks in them.

Written on the bottom edge of the picture, her first clue.

'Rachel and her new baby girl, Samantha.'

'_Rachel…'_ Sam her thoughts echoed, and something in the back of her head clicked together.

Her hand had already removed another picture from inside before she even realized it. And again, she could hardly believe what she was seeing.

The same baby girl, crawling over the floor of a nicely decorated baby-room. She was crawling towards a man. He had green skin, darker green hair and bright green eyes. His large grin revealed a somewhat impressive set of fangs, and his ears appeared lightly pointed.

At the bottom, again, something was written.

'Garfield enjoys playing with Sammy.'

'_Garfield…'_

Sam reached inside again, taking out a final picture to look at. It was larger than the other two, looked better cared for. It wasn't slightly fogged over from age like the other two.

Tears threatened to spill when she finally saw the truth.

It was the picture of a traditional first-year birthday. Sitting in the lap of the same green man from before was the baby girl called Sam. Standing proudly next to him, hands clapped together, was the woman with dark purplish hair. There was a gathering of other people all around the table, some she questioned their appearances, looking like they were singing. A nicely decorated cake was standing on the table, a candle shaped like a 1 standing proud in the center.

The only difference, the little girl's hair wasn't that odd mix of purple and green anymore. No, instead it was a pure jet black, put in two pigtails.

The same way Sam knows she once looked like when she was little. She'd seen a picture from when she was three, playing in a park she doesn't remember. Same hair, same pigtails, and now that she looks better, same smile too.

She couldn't deny it. That little girl… That's her.

That are her… Her real parents. Her real family.

Once again, something was written underneath.

'Samantha's first birthday!'

It felt like she's been hit by Skulker, tossed through a blender and then being burned alive by Ember.

_'What?'_

* * *

**Okay... Anyone got any objections against the story? I hope not, because I'm going to keep writing until it's finished. And that, my friends, is a promise.**

**Well, until the next chapter! Untill then, remember to review, follow and fav. See you all soon!**

**Peace, out. ;)**


	2. Ch 1: Night

**I'm posting the first actual chapter on the same time I'm posting the prologue, so don't expect such quick updates. I already have the third one ready, just need to fix any problems or faults. Also, a quick shout-out! I'm in search for any beta-readers for my new story. So, if anyone out there would like to help me... That's greatly appreciated.**

**Anyways, with that out of the way... Enjot reading!**

**Also, forgot in the last one: Disclaimer!**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not, in any way, own Danny Phantom, nor the Teen Titans.**

**Thank you, and enjoy reading!**

**#Update: June 6, 2019#**

**Just doing a few updates, adding in lines and changing a few things here and there. Nothing much people, nothing to see here!**

* * *

Chapter 1: Night's Darkness

Danny has seen Sam in many states.

He's seen her livid, angry beyond control. Luckily, he's never been at the other end of an extremely angry Sam when she was like that. He's seen her happy, happy beyond belief. With a brilliant smile that made him smile as well, even during the thoughest times. He's seen her disgusted, irritated, he's seen her (and still does) in love. With him, of course.

He's seen her sad before, when tears had spilled. Those are her worst moments when she seems to curl up into herself and form this proverbial wall that only he could get through so he could comfort her. The last time she'd been like that was when she heard that her uncle had passed away last year.

None of them, none of those moments compared against now. None compared against Sam's current state.

She looked drained, eyes tired and red, puffy around the edges from crying. Tear-streaks covered her cheeks, and her black eye-liner had mixed in a little, making her seem all the more worse. Her hair was disheveled, ruffled and clumped from her hands rubbing and grabbing at the locks to keep themselves busy. He's sure that once she sees herself in a mirror she'll either scream at herself or break down even further.

She was sat on her bed, eyes looking at nothing. Her mind was elsewhere, contemplating, processing. Taking in the revelation. It has been a few hours since her discovery.

Even _he_ had it tough to absorb what she'd discovered. And he faces ghosts on a daily basis!

Sam had called him a bit later in the day, somewhere around the afternoon. At first he had thought that maybe she wanted to apologize for leaving them alone like that all of a sudden on their way home from a nice hang-out, perhaps prove him and Tucker that they'd been wrong about her being adopted.

Instead, she was a blabbering, sobbing mess on the phone, hardly getting a few words through her crying. It took some effort, but he was able to hear her out, and what she told him had left the halfa surprised beyond belief. He'd quickly promised to come over, ended the call and left his room without even telling Jazz or his parents were he was going. He'd been so busy heading to Sam's place that he'd forgotten he could fly. Quickly hiding himself, Danny had turned into Phantom, and streaked through the sky, going faster than ever before, arriving in record time.

He'd phased through the room's window, and before the halfa even had the chance to turn back, Sam had flung herself into him, sobbing and crying against his shoulder.

He managed to get her to stop crying too hard, change back to human, and help her in her bed, where she took a meditative position (although she wasn't meditating, oh no). She told him everything through the tears that remained, and he had listened, taking it all in and telling her sweet nothings to try and help the goth-girl to stop crying and calm down some more.

Now, he was sifting through the photo's inside the brown envelope. He was stunned, speechless beyond believe. Sure, he didn't really like the Manson's that much, quite the same like Sam, really. Her parents didn't exactly know yet about their newfound relationship yet, but their friendship was already being looked at as wrong and freakish. But he didn't think they'd be so cruel as to not tell Sam she was, in fact, adopted. That she had another family.

As weird as they appeared. He means, a guy who has green skin? Called Garfield? It almost looked like a joke, if the atmosphere wasn't so somber.

"What do I do?"

He looked up from the pictures, regarding his girlfriend with worry. Her voice was like a whisper, drained and empty. The life and spark in her eyes was dim and weak, and that strong way she always holds herself, even when around him, was stripped away like it was nothing. It was like watching a husk or hearing those detached voices in the Ghost Zone.

"I… I don't know, Sam. It's… A lot to take in." He admits heavily after thinking about it a little. He didn't know what to do, these are her parents, err, adopted parents, and she's the only one who knows how to handle them. All he can do is be her support. Be there for her, show he's there and caring for her.

"I know." She mumbles softly, head hanging lower before she sighs and looks up at him again. "What… About you? Are you alright?"

He shrugged, giving a soft noncommitted sound. "I think it's still sinking in."

That at least earned him a small, light chuckle. He'll make do, though, knowing with that that she'll be fine. In the end.

The mood quickly sobered though, and Danny sighed, running a hand over the back of his neck. Tucker had only asked out of pure curiosity, an innocent question that didn't have any real meaning. But now, Danny finds out that it wasn't so innocent and harmless after all. Just looking at Sam like this hurt him, right in the heart. In his core and his soul. Everywhere hurt seeing Sam, the girl he loves beyond anything, like this.

She wasn't herself. She looked… Defeated. She's never looked defeated before! Sam always keeps a high air about herself. Maybe it would seem egocentric from an outsiders view, but he and Tucker know that's Sam just showing who she is. An independent person who doesn't care for anything she doesn't agree with.

Now she looks… Terrible. Lost. A ghost of herself (pun not intended).

He took a seat next to her, and she scooted closer, letting her head rest against his shoulder. He looped an arm around her waist, giving it a light squeeze to show he's here for her. She closed her eyes, sighing before wrapping her arms around him in a sideways hug.

"It'll be alright, Sam. I know you'll figure something out." He tries to encourage her, but it doesn't really seem to work.

"I just learned I'm adopted." She said, almost spitting out the last word with disdain. "My parents aren't my real parents, they've kept this a secret for years! Danny, I'm sixteen, I should have known by now! Any adopted kid does!"

"Almost any." He added quickly, earning him a glare, although it lacks its normal strength.

"Maybe, but… You would think they'd tell me at some point. How didn't I see it before?"

He shrugged, the movement jostling her head a little. She put a few strands behind her ear, frowning at something else that comes to her mind.

"What could have happened to them?"

"Hmm?" He arches an eyebrow, unsure what she's talking about now.

"My birth-parents." Sam explains, pointing at one of the pictures showing both together with a baby Sam. All three were smiling lightly. "What happened to them?"

"I don't know, Sam. You'll have to ask your parents, err, adopted parents."

She cringed at the word, and he squeezed her closer, planting a soft kiss on her forehead. If only he could just take away all the pain, take it all away and get his Sam back. Right now, she's like a shell of herself. Not like he doesn't understand why. He totally does, even if he doesn't know what she might be going through completely. He isn't adopted, Danny knows that for sure.

But Sam's question isn't a bad one. What _did_ happen to her real parents? Where are they? Are they… Still alive?

Neither knew the answer. They did, however, know who might.

"I need to talk with my parents."

* * *

Tucker had been called over a few minutes later, the techno-geek updated on the state of affairs. To say he was stunned would be an understatement. Suddenly he understood very well why Sam looked worse for wear.

They gathered together in the living room, Danny offering to make some dinner before her parents get home. Sam agreed greedily, her stomach declaring it's hunger with a growl, taking her slightly by surprise. Tucker was willing enough thanks to the situation to allow Danny to make some of Sam's favorite vegetarian meals. He can be irritating, but he isn't cruel or heartless!

Sam her parents arrived at the moment they'd all finished eating, putting away the dishes. Neither Manson was happy to see the two boys together with their daughter. Well, they were about to find out something.

"M-Mom, Dad, can I talk with you?"

The adults looked away from the two teen boys for a moment to regard their daughter with confused looks. Her voice had been hesitant when she called them 'mom' and 'dad'.

"Samikins, what's wrong?" Pamela asked with worry, already moving to pull her daughter in a hug. Both parents had noticed her disheveled look. They feared the worst.

Before she could hug Sam, though, the goth-girl pulled away, eyes closing and face contorting with pain. Pamela stopped, startled. Sure, their daughter can be rebellious, but now it's like it hurts her to be with them all of a sudden. An inkling of fear was rising in the older Manson's their heads.

"I'll grab them." Danny offered softly, putting a supporting hand on Sam's shoulder. She sighed before nodding. He returned the gesture before heading up the stairs and to her bedroom, grabbing the envelope with pictures and taking a single one out to show. He looked at it with a small smile. If her real parents are still alive, he'd very much like to meet them. They look like good people.

Back downstairs, Sam and her parents had moved to the living room, and Tucker was standing behind his friend, one hand on her shoulder to keep her steady as she looked at her 'parents'. She offered him a meek smile, and he tried to return it, but it mixed a little with a grimace. She really didn't look good. Like she'd almost had a heart-attack. _'She could have, from the shock alone.'_

Danny appeared, envelope behind his back and clutched in his hands. Sam noticed when he had walked inside, and after making sure she had both her friend and her boyfriend there to support her, she turned to her 'parents', who were fidgeting on the spot. It was like they were being overheard, by their own daughter and her friends.

"I… I was going through the attic, when I found something." Sam started, taking a few shuddering breaths as she remembers the moment. The moment that changed her entire life. Danny squeezed the shoulder he was holding, and she smiled up at him, some semblance of herself returning with the support of the two boys.

"Sammy, what did you find?" Her father, no, adopted father asked. Sam cast them a mournful look before taking Danny's hand and nodding her head. He gave a curt nod before walking forwards a little. He deposited the brown file, the picture he took of the birthday celebration on top, onto the table between the two sides.

Pamela gasped, hands reaching for her mouth. Jeremy paled, eyes falling dead-center onto the cursed envelope. The three teens let them for a moment, allowing the severe-ness of the discovery settle in.

"…You found it." Pamela finally breathed after recollecting herself. Tears were still stinging her eyes, but she was keeping up a hard face, trying to remain strong and impassive.

"We'd hope you wouldn't." Her husband added with a sigh, hand reaching out to take the photo lying on top. He grimaced at the nice sight, seeing their little girl happy together with her real parents.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Sam asked, having gathered her courage together to stand up, her two friends siding her for support and comfort. She took it in with greed. "W-why didn't you tell me I was adopted?"

The two parents, no _again_, adopted parents shared a glance, silently communicating on what to do. Their daughter really looks like she's taking it bad. Eventually they decided.

"We had to protect you, Sam."

She blinked, a bit of her prior fear falling away. Protect her? Protect her from what?

"Sorry if we're being a bother, Mr. And Mrs. Manson, but what do you mean with 'protect her'?" Danny asked, cutting through the silence that had followed afterwards. The two adults glared at the boy. They never really liked him, a bad influence of Sam and everything, and all three teens were silently glad they didn't know about him and Sam yet. Still, Sam didn't like the way they glared at her boyfriend like that. He's helping her cope! The same with Tucker!

"That's all we can tell you. We had to protect her, so we took her in as our daughter."

"And we love her like our daughter as well." Jeremy quickly added, hoping to get some favor back from their daughter.

The heart-wrenching glare they got in return wasn't the answer they had hoped for.

"What are you protecting me from? Why didn't you guys tell me?" Sam's voice was on the edge of pleading and angry, her glare growing stronger with every second. The two boys at her side casted wary glances at their only real female friend, worried that she was getting a bit overboard with her anger.

"Because we believe it's for the better if you don't know." Pamela stated, being as vague as you can possibly be. Sam her glare grew in intensity, her hands balling together at her sides.

"Then at least tell me where my birth-parents are!"

Again, the two adults shared a glance, and Jeremy gently shook his head. Pamela sighed before regarding their daughter.

"We can't, dear. For your own safety."

Sam was shaking, hard, and Danny quickly grabbed her shoulders before she could do something bad. She glared at him, although less strong then what her parents had faced, and he shook his head, unfazed with her anger. It was only logical she was being like this right now.

"They're not worth it, Sam." He whispered, and after a few seconds, she took a deep breath, calming herself down. Her fists loosened before resting flat against her sides. She took a few last controlled breaths before opening her eyes again, glare gone.

Instead, they were filled with disappointment. Her voice had turned to a whisper, energy tapped away like it was nothing.

"I'm going to bed."

She left the room before either side could argue.

* * *

She didn't know what she was doing.

It had started simple. Wallowing in disappointment about her adopted parents, sulking in her room after she'd tried to clean ehrself up a little. Even the shower though hadn't gotten her any closer to an answer. She had hoped for at least something. A hint, a tip, a quick explanation before falling into silence. _Anything_. Sure, walking out was a bit cowardice, but she didn't care right now. They should have told her something!

Instead she was left with nothing. No place of living, no information about their jobs, or anything, really. All she had was two first names and a last name.

Rachel and Garfield Logan.

Who are they? Where do they live, or did they live? Are they… Are they still alive?

Her eyes fell across her room as she lied in her bed, hair sprawled and arms flung around herself. She so dearly wanted answers, to know something about them. She'd changed into some proper clothes to keep some resemblance of herself going, but that mental picture was quickly falling apart. If the two adults downstairs aren't her parents, then who is she in retrospect to them?

By pure coincidence, the goth-girl's sights fell onto her laptop.

And suddenly she felt like a complete idiot.

She was out of her bed and at her desk, waiting impatiently for her laptop to boot up, in seconds. As soon as it was on she went for the internet, typing in the set of names.

Sure, she can expect that not all information will be accurate or true, but it's better than nothing, right?

What she saw made her face paler than it already was from exhaustion. The first search-result already had her captivated and shocked all at once.

'Teen Titans missing for whole year. Jump City mourns loss of local heroes.'

The headliner of the online article itself left her stunned. And the pictures supplied did more. Her breath quickened, coming shorter and faster, just like the beat of her heart.

It was them. They looked only a hint younger, but it really was them.

Raven and Beast Boy, the second married couple in the five-member team.

Rachel and Garfield Logan, even if their names weren't actually mentioned in the article itself (most likely their real, hidden identities), she was smart enough to make the connection. The pictures of the couple spoke enough. Of course, she had grown so used to being around weird things (ghosts are stranger than anything imaginable!) that she had hardly questioned her biological dad's green complexion or her mother's strange purple hair and eyes (like her own). But now… Now she finally understood why.

He's a hero, She's a hero! Heroes with powers. Her real parents are heroes!

And they haven't been seen in _years_.

The article Sam had found was old, years old. She had been close to three when it had happened, she calculated, roughly turned four when the article was released. Now, twelve years later, they've already been gone missing for over thirteen years.

Next week was the scheduled memorial in Jump City.

Her backpack and all sorts of stuff was on her bed before you could say 'BEWARE'.

Her head was spinning, reeling with the information. She finally knows what has happened, for the most part. She knows where they lived, what they did. Her parents were heroes! Heroes that saved lives, protected innocents, fought crime and evil. Heroes that had left on a mission and haven't come back yet.

Were they still alive? The goth-girl knew that with what little information she has, the chances are slim she'll find out, ever. But the fact she knows where they once lived was enough. Enough to get her moving, to cause a new burst of energy inside her body.

Only when she looked up the exact location of Jump City did Sam do a backtrack.

It wasn't close-by, the West Coast. She lives in Minnesota, inland, Jump City lies in California.

But if she remembers correctly there should be a train heading that way departing from Amity Park Central Station. Or at least one that could get her closer.

All Sam needs is a ticket, and she can easily afford one.

All she has to do is scan her credit-card.

But before that, she'll have to empty out some cash for on the way. When her parents find out -and they will, she realizes that- she has to be able to rely on getting food and drinks without needing her credit-card, because that will most-likely be the first thing she'll be cut off from when they start searching for her.

If they realize it by then.

Grabbing her wallet and making sure she has enough cash on her, she gets ready by planning what to do. To start, she'll be heading to the station, from there taking the train, and when arriving at her destination she'll be heading to the nearest cash-machine and clean out what cash she can carry on herself safely.

With luck, when she arrives they won't know yet she even left. It's a late train (she went ahead and checked the schedules online) and those go through most of the night when going cross-country. That means she'll have time to rest on board without having to worry too much.

Buying herself a ticket online before printing it (thank god she has one on her room), she prepared the rest of her backpack. Some food and snacks, water to drink, spare clothes, some vital necessities, wrist ray and thermos (can't be too careful), and she's all set.

Now, to head out.

Waiting until it's late enough in the night but still in time to catch the train, she checks the hallway. The door of her parents bedroom is closed, and she can hear the quiet snores of her parents as they sleep. With a hidden grin, she stalks down before leaving her house. She knows her friends already had left to go home themselves, but she was a little curious as to why neither had called her yet to see if she was alright.

Sam looks back at her house -mansion really, but she didn't care much for that- with a small, sad smile. For almost her entire life, this place has been her home. She was raised here, but now she knows she wasn't born here.

She wants to see her birthplace, no matter what it takes.

Anything to get closer to her real parents.

And with a small sigh, she sets out for the station, backpack settled and ready, plan made and goal set. In the back of her head she felt regret and guilt for heading out without telling anyone, but she felt this was the right thing to do at the moment.

Only when she was finally set on the train (the people at the counter hardly question a girl going out at night with a cross-country train, dense guys) did she finally let everything sink in. She's heading out, to Jump City, alone. What will her adopted parents think? _What_ will Danny and Tucker think!

She wasn't sure what she was doing, and Sam knew that by doing this she'll worry her friends as much as her adopted parents, if not more so. But it's her choice, her decision to go to her birthplace. And perhaps avoid all the pain being in that house right now brings her.

If only she knew what to do afterwards.

She fell into restless sleep not long after.

* * *

Danny woke up with a groan, turning in his bed a little. Somewhere his mind registered that it was a Sunday, and he just wanted to sleep in for a moment. The sun was glaring at him through the windows, though, and it didn't seem like anything was going to save him from waking up early today.

With some effort, he pushed himself upwards and smacked his lips together a little, trying to get them a bit more wet. He had that early morning hunger, and his throat felt a bit dry.

Only when he was busy putting on his clothes did the events from yesterday return to him, and it felt like someone had smacked him across the face.

Sam.

His face fell as he put his shirt on, remembering the way she looked. Her eyes had been empty and tired, and her entire look spoke volumes. She normally never really allowed anyone to see her like that, so defeated and weak, and not only did he see her, but Tucker did too. They'd confronted her parents as well after that.

And they'd given nothing in return. Nothing, but that they were 'protecting her'. Like that's a good answer! Protecting her from what? Or who? And why couldn't they tell her what had happened to her parents, or where they even were? They were keeping so much a secret.

He wasn't that surprised when Sam trudged up the stairs and locked herself into her room. She had all the right to do so.

He and Tucker had tried to pry something from the Manson's, but they didn't budge, and actually threatened him and Tuck that they should get out, or else…

They threatened him! Danny Phantom!

Alright, the media has been really good at keeping his identity a secret, really. Few people actually know he is Danny Phantom, only those that had been present at the Pole when they saved the world.

But surely the Manson's must have known they were talking against a hero, right? They had been there, they saw him transform!

Still, he knew Sam would still kill him if he ever touched a single ectoplasmic finger on her parents, adopted or not. So he had obliged, leaving with Tucker, who left the premise with a less than pleasant string of curses trailing behind him.

Who knew that there were so many ways of saying 'I hate you' through curses? He sure didn't. But Tuck did seem to know, judging by the very colorful array of vocabulary.

Danny was heading down the stairs when he heard the angry voice of his mom. He paused, trying to listen in. It was mostly defenses for her family, and a few words he didn't dare repeat.

Only when he heard the voice of Pamela from the other side of the line did he come down the stairs to see what the commotion was about.

He wasn't ready for suddenly having all eyes on him, though.

"Uhm, what?"

"Danny," Jazz spoke up, coming up to him with worry written over her face. She looked worse than he normally was used to. Like she'd seen Dan, or some other ghost. "Do you know where Sam is?"

He wrinkled his eyebrows together in confusion. "Where she is? Isn't she at home?"

"No, sweetie." His mom spoke up, putting the phone away from her ear for a moment, holding a hand over it to muffle the angry shouts of Pamela on the other side. "She isn't. Her mother called to see if she was here, but we know she isn't, you didn't tell us anything about why you even went there in the first place."

"Something wrong, son? You look pale, paler than usual." His dad spoke up, worried as well. He felt the halfa's forehead for a moment. Not colder than usual, or warmer either.

"We, I… We…" He stumbled over his words for a moment, but finally Danny was able to get himself together to explain. "Sam found out yesterday that she was adopted, mom. What if she ran away?"

The news about Sam being adopted startled the three Fenton's into silence, looking at each other with shock. Unlike the Manson's, they know about Danny and Sam dating, and they agreed to keep it a secret because they know how strained her relationship with her parents is, now more than ever knowing who her best friend really is. A half-ghost.

But to hear that they kept _that_ a secret? That was so unlike the Manson's that it took them completely by surprise.

"She's… Adopted?" Maddie whispered softly, still in shock. Danny nodded his head, arms crossed as he watched them with slight weariness. The 'conversation' from yesterday between him and the Manson's was still fresh in his head.

"Danny, you really don't think she ran from home, right?" Jazz asked with worry, turning back to her brother. He shrugged, not sure himself. It was just a thought. A very, very bad thought. One he wishes isn't true.

"Maybe we should look through town first? I'll call Tucker, see if he could find out where she is." He offered, starting with a plan. Maddie nodded her head quickly, turning back to the phone and quickly silencing Pamela before explaining what they were going to do. Jack was already moving, heading for the garage where they keep the GAV.

"Were are we waiting for then?" Jazz exclaims, taking Danny by the collar of his shirt and pulling him back upstairs. "You're calling Sam first, see if she'll answer!"

"Jazz! You're choking me!"

But he couldn't argue that that was a good idea. She might not answer her parents calling her, but she might pick up if it's him.

* * *

Sam woke up by the sound of her phone.

She gave a soft groan, tilting her head so she was looking through squinted eyes at her backpack, placed in the empty seat next to her. The train she had taken was rather empty, but it looks that at least some people had joined on when it had passed a few stops.

Back to her phone.

She glared at the item, mind still foggy and not yet used to the bright morning light glaring through the curtains she had drawn over the window next to her. She tapped the red button just visible through the haze of having her sleep rudely interrupted, ending the obnoxious calling sound from torturing her ears.

Sam Manson isn't a morning person. She just **isn't**.

Putting her phone back, she tried to position herself to get some of the sleep she so desperately wants, but her mind doesn't seem to find any of the spots she takes as comfortable enough to let her slip into the unconscious.

With a grumble under her breath, she just sits herself a bit better in the rigid seat and tries to adjust to the morning light, letting her head rest so she can try and regain her bearings a bit.

Sam had just been able to keep herself from panicking when she'd been woken up by the sound of her phone calling. She really doesn't need another shocker right now.

She took her phone from her pack again, looking at who had called her. If it are her parents, she swears she'll…

Oh, she denied Danny a call.

Oops.

Well, too late now. And she isn't intending to call him back. If he wants to know where she is, he'll have to find out himself.

She sighed, tucking her phone away in her pocket this time. She straightened a little in her seat, looking around in the rest of the train-car. She saw a few people that weren't there when she had fallen asleep on the way, and someone had left as well. Sam rubbed her tired eyes, trying to focus. She had slept through the rest of the night, but the ride wasn't as comfortable as she had thought. She felt them in her dreams!

Talking about her dreams…

She shivered a little. The nightmare she had in before it had turned into a more pleasant dream still haunted her a little. It wasn't like any of her normal nightmares, like the ones about her losing Danny to some ghost or Dan. No, this one was both scary and confusing.

She'd been standing inside what looked to be some kind of giant temple made of black stone and rock. Lava and fire lighted up the entirety of the massive room, and all across the walls were banners with a strange 'S' like symbol. At the end had been a throne, enormous in size compared to a human.

What really had her shivering, though, was the voice that had spoken. She didn't remembering exactly what it had said because it sounded so distorted and unclear, nor how it sounded like, she only remembered one thing from the entire dream.

Something about… A new gem? For some reason that only succeeded in scaring her further. And Sam Manson (or should she call herself Sam Logan? It's all so confusing right now) doesn't do scared.

Sam shook her head, trying to clear her mind from the memory. She really didn't need a reminder right now.

"_Next stop: Jump City. I repeat, next stop: Jump City."_

'_Finally.'_ Sam sighed in relief. At least she's here. She grabbed her backpack and followed a few other people towards the sliding doors, preparing for when the train stops and she can finally board off.

She walked off when the train finally pulled in and stopped, the doors opening and allowing the passengers to get off. She followed the flow for a moment, taking in the station before looking for an exit. She followed the directions from a map before finally walking outside into the sounds of a city waking up.

It's noisy. Very, very, _very_ noisy. Her ears almost beeped as they were bombarded with all the sounds. Cars driving by, the noise of horns honking ever so often. People already outside talking on the phone or with someone else. A nearby tram-halt letting off passengers.

"Why would they ever live here?" She wondered to herself, covering her ears lightly. She glared at some people that pushed past her, but decided that it's better to try and get somewhere less loud. Looking around, her eyes widened at the sight of a billboard commercializing the city's beach-area.

On the background was a clear shot of Titans Tower, the old home of the Teen Titans. If she could get in _there_…

Sam headed to the nearby tram-stop, taking a look at the schedule. The next one, coincidentally, headed straight for the beach-side, a little ways from a halt at the dockyard area. Still, if she could get to that beach, she'll be one step closer to reaching her former home. The home where she was born. The home that belonged to her parents and the team of heroes they'd been a part of.

Her home.

* * *

**Alright, with this the first real chapter is done! Please tell me through the reviews what you think. I really hope that things will go better with this story. I'm making a big decision by following the canon believe that Raven and Beast Boy will get together at some point. Normally I prefer Beast Boy and Terra, and pair Raven with someone else (like Danny). But for this story, I had to follow some of the more canon believes.**

**Anyways, with that out of the way... Remember to review, fav and follow! I would really appreciate that!**

**Peace, out! ;)**


	3. Ch 2: Dawn

**Hello, folks and all readers. This is the third chapter, or at least my third upload. Now, this was already a completed chapter (after some final editing), but the fourth one, well... That might take some more time, I'm right now a bit focused on enjoying my vacation at home with my family.**

**Anyways, I hope you all will enjoy this third one. Warning! Feels at the end, prepare tissues!**

**And enjoy reading.**

**#Update: June 8, 2019#**

**A few new lines, fixed a small spelling mistake and some other faults. Keep reading people! A new chapter is coming soon! Promise.**

* * *

Chapter 2: Dawn's Rising

Jump City is a city that has seen more villains than it likes to count. A center stage of many events, from villains trying to complete their personal agenda's, to the near-end of the world. It's seen the oppression by a man that scared anyone, the attack of aliens and many more things.

In all the years it's seen evil trying to win, the local heroes have risen to the top and defeated the villains they faced. The Teen Titans were Jump City's pride and honor. They were the ones that saved the city for years, defended them from many villains, big and small, new and old.

They became like a family to some of the people living here. For others they're true heroes, idols and inspirational figures. Examples of true friendship, comradery and so on.

But, ever since the day the Teen Titans have disappeared, the city had to suffer under the loss of their only protectors. Of course, after the Titans disappeared many heroes have come and gone, fighting against the evil that lurks in the shadows of the city and its inhabitants.

But in all those years, no group of heroes have ever been able to replace the Teen Titans. None have achieved what the Titans did. Earning the trust of everyone, no matter who they are. The trust that everything will turn out alright, that no matter what they'll always keep on fighting, to their dying breath.

In honor of the Titans their dedication, and in the hopes that one day their beloved heroes will return, the people of the city had voted for the construction of a sort of memorial for the five that have protected their home for years.

At the beach, placed in the spot of the old bridge that once had been built between the main-land and the island holding Titans Tower, a memorial was build in honor and memory of these five great heroes. The monument itself is a great monolith, black and tall. In the center, at eye-level, is a single golden plate.

Written on the plate, a single sentence.

'In memory of the Teen Titans, may our heroes return one day, to protect our home and its people.'

Sam smiled softly as she read the writing on the plate. The people of this place really must have loved their heroes to do something like this, no? They don't even believe that they are gone, but that the Titans will one day return. So much hope, so much trust and understanding.

If only the people of Amity Park had been like this with Danny all the time. Then maybe things would have gone differently.

She hopes as much as the people of this city that the Teen Titans will return. After all, two of them _are_ her real parents.

She looked beyond the monolith, eyes gazing with awe at the tower standing high and tall on the island. She had read up a bit on things from the internet as she had been heading here, and discovered a few details. One of those was that there was once a bridge between the island and mainland for a moment before the Titans disappeared. To protect the tower and its contents, the bridge was torn down and the entire island was marked as off-limits for anyone, even for the heroes that are currently protecting the city and its people.

Both a blessing, and a curse.

A blessing because it means that everything is in as good as the same spot as it was when her parents and the rest of the team had vanished.

A curse because that means she can't get on the island through a hired boat or something else like that.

Dang.

Sam sighed, moving to sit on a bench overlooking the bay area. She placed her bag next to her, rummaging through it before finding the snack she'd packed for herself. There were a few restaurants around, but when she'd checked the menu's she found that few actually had any real options for vegetarians. You'd think they would actually assure for that, especially after she read on a site that her dad, Beast Boy, was a vegan as well.

And just like that she shares her taste in food with her father, she also shares her interest with the dark and gruesome with her mother. Raven really was a bit of your typical goth-type. Not surprising, seeing how dangerous her powers really are from the online videos she saw of some of the Titans their fights against evil. Although Sam doesn't know why there is a part about her mother's heritage that is completely left out. The online sites had many speculations, but any real evidence on that part was very vague at best.

Well, she can't blame them. They are heroes after all, and so they want to keep their personal history a secret, like their real names or their birthplace.

If only her adopted parents had been kind enough to explain to her. They said they wanted to protect her, but from what? Or who? Was it a person who made the Titans disappear? Does he or she want to make the Titans descendants, aka her, disappear as well?

How come? And why didn't they just tell her? She'd understand!

No, instead they lie to her, tell her things that aren't true, and keep secrets from her about things she really wants to know! She means, come on, her parents are heroes! She's friends with a hero, at least a hero in her eyes; she would really understand if things are better kept a secret in order to protect her. At least they could tell her something! Anything would be good enough!

She grumbled around the crumbs of her vegan cookies, swallowing before reaching for another one.

"Excuse us, miss?"

Sam froze, head turning around enough so she could get a look at the people standing behind her. Two police men, both looking at her. They examined her for a moment before one started reaching out to her.

"Are you Samantha Manson?"

Sam her eyes widened. Her parents have already put her up for missing? It's only close to lunchtime! Boy, they really must have felt desperate, or bad, in order to already report her as missing.

"Y-yeah?"

"We'd like to take you along to the nearby office, if you please." One of the officers explained, hand reaching for her shoulder. Sam looked at his hand before taking a glaring look at the two men.

She bolted from her spot, bag already in her hand and cookies stuffed back inside. The two men cursed under their breath before running after her.

Sam looked behind her, seeing that they're following after her, before looking ahead again, just dodging a few pedestrians in her path. She shouted a quick apology before running again, faster. Adrenaline was kicking in, and she really didn't want them to catch her! She isn't ready yet to go home!

"Miss! Stop!"

She ignored the calls, making a turn and heading towards a waterpark area. She pushed past some of the people enjoying their day at the beach, passing stalls and attractions. She would have liked to enjoy some, if only she wasn't being chased right now!

"STOP!"

When she passed a shooting stall, her mind was so deep into the chase that the sudden shot from the toy guns startled her. She lunged faster, heart going wild and breath erratic. Why was she freaking out so much? Did she really not want to go back _so much_?

The edge of the docks only registered when it was already too late.

She screamed, it really was the only thing she thought of doing. As the ground disappeared underneath her feet and she felt weightless for a moment before gravity pulled her down. The water of the sea appeared in her sight, and she prayed that she wasn't falling right now and she really just wanted to learn more about her parents and _this isn't how she thought things were going to end!_

She just wanted to find a way to the island and nothing else! _Was that so much asked for?!_

The blackness was only for a moment, filled with cold and an eerie feeling that felt so natural and like herself yet unlike herself, but she embraced it with glee, and suddenly solid ground appeared underneath her, replacing the water.

Unfortunate it was underneath her face and not her feet.

_"Ouch!"_

That _hurt_! She lost consciousness from the fall.

* * *

Danny looked around Sam's room, taking in every detail. If he knows her well enough, she'd leave something of a hint behind where she'd gone to. At least some sort of hint as to where she might have gone. He wasn't stupid, Sam always does that kind of stuff. Those small hints.

The bed was a little haphazard, and the drawers and doors of her closet were still open, some pieces of clothing missing. She'd packed some stuff from her emergency rations, and the drawer with the first aid kit was empty. The kitchen was missing a bottle with her supplements, and Sam her backpack was gone as well.

Everything pointed at that she'd left, most likely at night so no one spotted her. He'll have to see at the train station or ask the drivers of the buses if they'd seen her.

Tucker was examining Sam her computer, going through the search history. It seemed to have been deleted, and everything was a little scrambled. Danny was surprised that Sam had tried to hide her tracks so much. What was she up to?

"Dude, found something you might want to see."

Danny turned away from the mess that is Sam's room and joined Tucker in front of the laptop. On it was an online article from more than a decade ago.

What interested them both was the photo used for a part of the article.

There was no mistaking.

"That are Sam her real parents." Danny stated with clear surprise, pointing at the picture. It showed a group of five, from the looks of it heroes, standing together. They were clearly posing for the camera. Two of the five, though, looked a lot like the man and woman from the pictures Sam had found in the attic.

"Article says they're from the Teen Titans. Names are Raven and Beast Boy." Tucker stated, reading a part of the article talking about the heroes.

"No, their real names are Rachel and Garfield Logan. I read them on the pictures." Danny explained, reading a bit further into the article. His eyes narrowed as he came to the section explaining the Heroes disappearance. "Looks like they vanished from the globe around thirteen years ago."

"Dude, that means that Sam was with them until she was three!"

Danny nodded, face grim with worry and concern. "You don't think…"

Tucker shook his head." No, dude. She left, I bet you she went to where they lived."

He pulled up the portion of the article about the city where the group of five heroes once lived at.

Jump City.

"You think she went there?"

"I'm positive." Tuckers stated, confidence radiating from him. Danny pursed his lips before giving a begrudging nod. He didn't like it that Sam just up and left without telling them. He was still a little pissed off that she didn't answer him calling.

The door of the room opened, revealing a very concerned looking Jazz.

"Guys. The police just called. Sam's been spotted in Jump City."

The two friends shared a worried look before turning back to Jazz.

"We know." Danny stated, surprising his older sister, who looked a bit bewildered that they already know. "We found an article Sam had found online. Take a look."

The redhead joined her brother's side and read the article, going over every word. Her face grew paler and paler with every scroll of the mouse, and when she'd finished reading she was almost as pale as a ghost.

"Sam her parents… Are heroes… They vanished thirteen years ago… And lived in Jump City? This… This is... Wow."

The two boys nodded their head solemnly. They were just as surprised. They just didn't show it as much.

"You don't think she went there to see if she could find them, right?" Jazz asked, starting to snap out of her daze. Danny narrowed his eyes for a moment in thought before shaking his head.

"No. Sam isn't that positive of mind. Sure, she might go to see where she once lived, but I know that she won't have her hopes up too high on finding them."

"You thinking what I'm thinking?" Tucker asked, starting to get up from his spot at Sam's laptop. Danny nodded his head, already moving himself. Jazz glanced between the two boys, confused.

"Wait, what are you thinking about?"

"I'm going to Jump to find Sam." Danny started, taking a moment to change into Phantom, feeling that familiar cold feeling rush over him as the rings passed over him, changing his outfit into his signature look. "Tucker will see if he can't find out more. You're going to try and keep the Manson's calm so they don't do anything stupid."

"Easier said than done, Danny. They're on a breaking point. Any more emotional stress and they might snap. And then we'll _all_ be in serious trouble." Jazz explained, stepping in front of her younger brother to keep him there for a moment. "Are you sure you should be going there alone?"

"What can they do to me? I'm a ghost, Jazz, and so far the only people I know that can fight ghosts are us, our parents, and the GIW. I'll be fine!"

"Just…" She took a calming breath, keeping her frazzled nerves in check. She was still reeling a bit from finding out that Sam is adopted, and that the goth-girl's adopted parents have kept this information a secret for more than a decade. "Be safe, alright?"

The halfa reached out and took his sister in his arms, hugging her for a moment for both their reassurance before letting go. He held her by the shoulders, flashing the redhead a quick smile.

"I'll be fine."

He let go and flew up, phasing through the ceiling before taking off, heading into the general direction of Jump City. He's seen it on the maps a few times, so he knows where it is, mostly.

And once he gets there, it's off to look for Sam.

* * *

Sam woke up with a groan, rolling over the ground for a moment before opening her eyes.

She was met with the blinding light of the sun. She cursed, snapping her eyes close before getting up with some effort. Her face felt a little sore, and she also felt a lot more drained than normal. She was still in a daze from what had happened, and she was trying to piece together what had happened.

She'd been spotted by the police. They had chased after her, and somehow she'd made her way into a waterpark. Something had made her keep on running, and before she knew it she was falling of the edge of the docks, straight for the water.

Then… Nothing, a blur. She vaguely remembered thinking a lot about getting to the island where Titans Tower was located on, a strange feeling passing through her body, and then seeing something brown, like the ground.

Her eyes snapped open when she realized how illogicall that sounded. How could she have seen the ground if she was falling into the water of the bay?

That's when Sam noticed where she was. Slowly her eyes went to her side, where a small staircase was cut into the stone, leading up to the entrance of Titans Tower.

Wow, it looked even bigger from up close.

'_But, how did I get here? Unless I somehow teleported. Wait, doesn't one site say that one of Raven her powers was teleportation? Do I have my mother's powers somehow, for some reason?'_

Sam shook her head, trying to fight back the growing headache. It was hurting her head to much right now, thinking about that possibility. She got to her feet, wobbling for a moment before catching herself and with a steady breath, she was standing tall and looking ahead to the entrance of the massive tower.

She walked up the stone steps, eyes going up the height of the tower. It was really tall, taller than anything else she's ever seen before. Even the tallest tower of Dora's castle was nothing compared to this. And she was surprised that the strange T-shape hasn't caused it to collaps yet. That's some good architecture, then.

She stopped in front of the entrance, cocking her head a little. Now that she's here…

How is she going to get inside?

'_Maybe just… Knock?'_

So she did.

The sound of her knock vibrated against the metal of the door for a moment before vanishing into the silence. The only sound after were seagulls in the air, most likely looking for their next meal. Sam looked around for a bit, expecting something or someone to appear, or maybe the police to suddenly arrive and arrest her for trespassing.

Although, this was once her home. Isn't it logical then that she's allowed inside?

A beep caught her attention, and she looked back at the door. A port opened, and a metal camera-like eye appeared, looking her over. It did a quick scan, taking a close look at her eyes, scanning them for something. Sam blinked away the spots from the scan for a moment, rubbing her eyes before watching as it finalized the scans and disappeared inside the port.

"_Welcome home, Samantha."_

The robotic voice had startled her for a moment, especially because it sounded glitchy and worn, but she quickly calmed down, managing a small smile. Home… She's never felt it fit so much more than when that voice said it. This place, it is her real home, isn't it?

The door opened with a hiss, and she quickly headed inside before it closed behind her. For a moment there was only darkness, and then the lights turned on, revealing the massive entrance hall.

Everything was covered under a thick layer of dust.

Still, Sam couldn't fight back the strong sense of déjà vu. Everything, literally everything felt familiar! Just, a little older and a bit worse for wear, and covered under a thick layer of dust. But still, so familiar!

She had crossed the hall without even thinking, and stopped in front of an elevator.

A thousand thoughts were running through her head. Was this such a good idea? What if there's someone else inside? What if the police catch her here? What if any villains decide today to show up here? Or any ghosts? How will she explain what she did to her friends? To her… Adopted parents? What if…

Sam shook her head, pushing all those thoughts to the back of her head. This isn't about 'what if'. This is about getting answers, getting some self-reassurance, and just maybe finally getting that bit of consolation and closure, that she has actually done something instead of waiting for the answers.

That she's proven herself to be independent from her… Adopted parents (that still isn't so easy to say or think).

She presses the button for up, and waits. The ping showing that the elevator has arrived came quicker than she was normally used to. The doors slide open and she walks inside, turning so she's facing the doors as they close.

Without even seeming to think about it, she presses the button pointing for the highest floor. With a small jolt the elevator starts going up. It gives her a somewhat squishy and odd feeling in her stomach, the way it's going up so fast. Whoever built this place must have been on the top of recent technology.

She arrived faster than anything she's used to, and she's out before the doors even are fully open, her stomach still reeling a little from the speed at which that thing went.

She fears when she has to go back down.

Walking down the hallways she arrived in after recovering from the lift, Sam looks at the doors she passes. Some have tags on them, and her eyes widen when she takes a stop in front of a door with a very unique name-plate.

One half was green and decorated to be styled like a jungle, the other half was gray and grim, few decorations, every one themed after something gothic.

It are the names themselves that are etched into the colorized plate that really keep her rooted there.

Raven and Beast Boy.

This… This is the room her parents lived in. The place they called home. And also… Her home.

The door doesn't open, but that doesn't worry her as much as she would have thought. She was happy enough knowing this is where her parents have been happy together.

Sam kept going, walking through the halls until she arrived in front of a pair of sliding doors that clearly were more important. She takes a step forwards and the doors open for her. Must be important enough that there isn't a lock on it just to have access.

It's some sort of main room. In the center, a little lower from the current floor, is a massive C-shaped couch. At one side is a kitchen area and at the other side a dining table. The walls are lined with machines she isn't sure what they are for, but the view…

The view, god. It's amazing. A massive glass window overlooking the city in the distance across the bay. In the center of the massive window is a large TV screen that could rival the cinema screen back at her place in Amity.

Everything is covered in a layer of dust, and as she walks down her mind starts thinking back. The soft echoes of little girl's laughter entered her ears, and it takes a moment before she realizes it is her own laughter. She's laughing, but somehow it sounds both like her current self, and some sort of flashback to when she was little. Childish, free, uncaring.

With a breathless sigh she flops down into the couch, ignoring the plume of dust her movement has created by jostling the entire thing. She lets her head lol back for a moment, taking in a deep breath. This feels… So, _right_. Never did she think that the place she's called home for so long, the mansion in Amity, wasn't her real home. This is. She can _feel_ it.

In her heart, she can feel it. She's_ home_!

She hasn't felt so good since the day Danny confessed to her at the Pole. Or when she gave him that kiss under the tree in Amity Park. Or when she sensed his love for her.

This just felt… Gods, she can't even explain how it feels.

She didn't even know when she fell asleep.

* * *

Colder.

It felt colder than before.

Sam shifted a little in her sleep, rolling herself a bit more together. She's lying on something soft, and nice and comfortable and she just wants to keep on sleeping.

But the cold is close, very close, and it feels familiar. Eerily familiar.

Groggily, with as much force as she could muster, she opens an eye. She doesn't see anything clearly yet, but that cold sensation is pricking her in her neck, and soothing her head. Something is touching her hair, and it feels good.

She almost wants to just fall asleep again and relish in this feeling of content.

But her mind is slowly getting some sense back of reality, and she knows that the cold has to come from somewhere.

Perhaps…

"Mhm… Danny?"

Her voice is sleepy, really sleepy, and her mind isn't yet fully awake, but she senses something new. A hint of warmth, and then the cold leaves her hair and neck and faces the front of her.

Only when the cold yet soft and tender sensation touches the tips of her lips does she start to really wake up. With great reluctance, though.

"Sam?"

Yep, even in her sleep she knows that's Danny. Both her eyes open in time to see him appear in the visible spectrum, giving her a small and relieved smile. She smiles back, if a bit tiredly. She hasn't slept like that in ages, and she really didn't want to wake up, but her mind knows that the only way Danny could be here is if he found her, and that means he's in the tower.

In her home.

"What are you doing here, Danny?" She asks with a yawn, getting up from the spot on the couch she had claimed as her temporary bed. Looking outside she notices that it's already way past noon, and the sun has moved a fair bit across the sky. She stretches a little, feeling more refreshed than ever before. Danny was in his Phantom form, but he quickly changed back, the cold feeling she had dropping almost completely.

"I could ask the same of you, Sam." Danny answers, hints of worry in his voice, but overlayered with relief and care. She smiles softly at him.

"What do you think? I'm home."

"Home?" He gives her a confused look, not really catching where she's going.

"We both know it, Danny." She states softly, getting herself a bit better together. She straightens the locks in her hair that have come out from her impromptu sleep, rubbing her eyes a little to get the last of sleep out of her system. "This is where they lived. The Titans… My parents."

Danny gives a slow nod, eyes scanning the room this time. He's taking in the details, a little bit surprised. He's heard about the Titans in his childhood, some great hero-stories for bedtime, and with what he saw on Sam's laptop back at her house in Amity he also knows who she's talking about. Just the thought that she feels more at home here than back with her adopted parents, though… It kind of scared him.

What of she wants to stay here?

"I know Sam, it's just…" He takes a breath, bracing himself. "We're worried, you know? Your, uhm, adopted parents called this morning, saying you were gone. We looked all over Amity Park, but we didn't find you. And then Tucker suggested we look in your room, and then we saw the article… I had tried calling you a few more times, but you didn't pick up, so I went here to see where you could have gone, and when I saw the tower I just… How did you even get in here? This place is on an island!"

"I don't actually know… I, uh, just wanted to be here and all of a sudden, well, tada! I was on the island." She said, lying a bit about how she got here. She doesn't want him to know she ran from the cops and nearly fell into the water before ending up here.

"Well, either way, I was worried! Sam, you didn't tell us! I thought you trusted us!"

"I wasn't really thinking, okay?" She countered, getting up from her spot to come face-to-face with Danny. He was only a margin larger than her ever since they've started growing up, but still taller that she had to look up a bit to meet his eyes. "I just… Wanted to know more about them, and I know that my pa-… adopted parents won't say anything. I wanted to know more, maybe even see them, okay?"

"Then why didn't you tell us? Why didn't you tell me?!"

"Because you wouldn't have let me go!"

That took Danny aback a little, the boy stumbling a bit before regaining his posture.

"You really think that, Sam? I'm not them, I'm not Pamela or Jeremy. I might not have agreed, yes, but I would still have come along with you."

She wanted to retort, but stopped when she realized her mistake. He was right. She'd been so focused on everything that she didn't even put any faith in her friends, in her boyfriend. That isn't what she should have done. She knows she can trust Danny. He loves her! And she loves him.

"I… I'm sorry." She whispered softly, but she knows that he heard. Danny smiles softly at Sam before wrapping her in a hug, relief washing over both of them to know the other is alright, to feel the soft warmth flowing between them. She quickly returns the gesture, and she swore she could feel his relief as his shoulders slacked.

"Just don't scare me like that again. I love you too much to lose you."

She chuckled softly, nuzzling into his cheek. "I won't. I love you too."

They remained like that for a moment, relishing in the other's feeling, the other's scent and touch. Just the two of them, together.

They were rudely snapped out of things when a door all of a sudden opened. Danny quickly let go of Sam, pushing her behind him and facing the possible threat. His eyes flash green and a low growl forms in the back of his throat. His hands are poised for anything to come at him.

Trudging through the door with less of a thought was a person enveloped in a dark-blue cloak, white glowing eyes peering from underneath the darkness of the hood. It stumbled for a moment, putting a hand against the opening of the door to steady itself before looking up.

Those glowing eyes widen ever so slightly, focusing on the duo standing a little bit behind the couch. The boy appears to be ready for anything that could come at him, stance strong and protective.

Behind him… A girl his age, trembling ever so lightly. Their eyes meet, mirror-violet crossing each other. Senses extending almost subsonsciously, an old, familiar and relieving sensation crosses both.

Now she's the one trembling, shaking with shock and pure relief. Her hand reaches up and pulls her hood down, revealing her face, eyes pricking with tears ready to shed at the sight before herself. She isn't sure how or why…

But Raven knows.

And with the way a flash of recognition passes through those mirror-like violet eyes, the girl knows to.

Her daughter.

Sam her eyes had widened significantly when that strange feeling had crossed her. Strange, but also reassuring, familiar, caring, _motherly_.

And then, when the woman had dropped her hood, revealing her face. That face… Like from the pictures… It was so familiar Sam almost wanted to cry.

Danny his stance had slackened, the same recognition going through him like with Sam. That was the face from the pictures. The woman who had been holding a baby Sam.

Sam's mother.

Her mother.

Slowly, Sam walked out from behind Danny, who cast a quick and cautious glance at her. She gave a meek and watery but also reassuring smile, and he nodded, stepping back a bit. She moved closer, rounding the couch and walking up the steps leading to the entrance of the room, where the woman… No, her _mother_, was standing, shaking with relief, energy washing from her that felt so warm and kind and loving…

There was no mistaking. It really is her!

Sam stopped, only a few steps away from the person who gave birth to her. The person who's love is right now washing over her like a warm shower, brushing away any fear or worry. Her eyes look up, meeting with kind and caring, lovingly violet eyes that reflected her own _so much_.

She was certain, without a doubt. And she wanted the whole world to know.

"…Mom."

So simple. So much meaning. It never has felt more right then when she called that woman standing before her like that.

Her mother. Without a doubt.

"Sam…"

Raven felt relief like nothing she's ever felt before. All that time, all those thoughts about if her baby was alright, if her daughter would be safe, all of those worries were washed away in an instant, a flood going through her like nothing she could have imagined.

Reuniting with her daughter, it was the best feeling she's ever had in her whole life.

The tears were flowing before she even realized it, and something in the back of her head asked her to stop those emotions from flowing. But she didn't care.

To hell with her monotone, to hell with all of those barriers she's put up in all of her life.

She just wants to hold her daughter and love her, unconditionally.

So she did.

Neither felt a stronger warmth then when their arms wrapped around the other, like wings covering them.

Neither wanted to let go.

* * *

**So, um... I wrote that. Yeah, didn't think I had that in me. Remember to review, fav and follow, and, well, see you guys soon!**

**Peace, out. ;)**


	4. Ch 3: Family

**A new chapter! I told you I was going to get a new one up at some point! Anyways, to those that aren't fully along yet, Raven and Sam have finally been reunited, but what exactly was the cause behind the Titans their dissapearance? And how are they going to get back?**

**That will all be explained right now. But first:**

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Teen Titans, or Danny Phantom. Both belong to their respective franchises, which I'm sadly not a part of.**

**Enjoy reading!**

* * *

Chapter 3: For Family of All

Time had slipped past her.

She wasn't sure how long she had spend in that 'other place', time in that strange and twisted dimension didn't work the same way it did back on Earth. She wasn't sure how long she's been gone, or what had happened in their absence. When she first arrived in the middle of the forest outside of Jump, Raven had nearly feared it was some kind of cruel illusion and she would open her eyes again and find herself stuck, just like the others.

With a hint of guilt for leaving everyone behind, the largest when her vision blinked green, she had opened her eyes again, and to her great relief and surprise, things didn't change. She really was back!

The first thing she did now she was she sure she was back was unleashing the muddle of emotions and bad thoughts inside her, destroying a small part of the woods around her in the process, before rushing up into the air, heading straight for the tower.

As she flew through the sky, Raven her mind went to what she would have to do now she's back. She knew for a fact that getting the others out of that… _Place_, wasn't going to be easy, she herself only escaped with great luck at her side. The others wouldn't be so fortunate.

First she will need someone who can do magic as good as she does. That already left a lot of the Titans across the world as a big 'no'. There weren't many who practiced magic like her. Maybe Herald could help, with the Mysthical Horn of Gabriel. He could punch a portal right towards the dimension the other Titans are stuck in.

At the thought of magic, Raven her mind couldn't stop from wandering though, thinking about all the other things she has to worry about. And where it wandered, bad feelings rushed up from the surface.

What has become of her precious little Samantha, for example?

Her little girl was the one thing -besides her love for her husband and lover, Beast Boy- that kept Raven going through the tough times. Her will and desire to be reunited with her daughter. To see that smile with a missing tooth, or those mirror-like violet eyes that resembled hers so much.

She doesn't even know if her daughter is still alive! But Raven quickly crushed that thought before it could fully manifest and start haunting her mind. She's only just returned. She'll find out at some point. But it remained there, in the back. For now.

Raven phased through the roof of the tower after finally arriving, not minding to go past Cyborg's defenses for once. She was in a hurry. Azar knows how much time has already passed for the others!

Rushing through the halls, she noticed that everything hadn't changed much, only looked older and worn from time. She was finally receiving the brunt of all the energy she'd spent on getting back as well, and so when she'd opened the door leading into the Ops Room, her mind was starting to fog from being so tired. She stumbled a little when she got into the doorway.

Raven had nearly not registered their presence before her eyes noticed them standing there.

The shock had Raven almost reeling. Two humans, from first glance, were standing in the room, a bit behind the large C-shaped couch. The boy was in front, stance ready for anything and eyes giving a strange and eerie green glow that quickly fell away to blue. Behind him was a girl, black hair and violet eyes, looking at her in shock and worry.

She'd nearly missed it, almost missed the resemblance, but her mind was still corporal enough to see some of the resemblance.

Eyes don't lie. It's something Robin – now Nightwing – once told her. She had dismissed it as something the young-adult detective always talked about, something connected to his obsession of knowing _everything_.

But when her eyes passed those mirror-violet eyes, she couldn't stop the familiarity from striking, the sense that this girl wasn't just any random girl. It seemed crazy to think! But Raven was used to worse things happening to her. So almost subconsciously she extended her senses across the room and touched the mind of the girl.

She had dropped her hood without even thinking, and her body was shaking with worry and hope. Worry because it could very well be a hallucination, or some kind of sick trick from her powers. Hope that it's the truth, and she really did find her, that she really is standing in front of her little girl.

Her daughter.

And when Raven reached out with her powers to the girl again, brushing against The goth-girl's conscious mind, that flash of recognition passed those mirror-like eyes as well, and tears threatened to spill for both. The black-haired girl -her daughter- walked out from behind the boy, who was still tense but a lot less cautious. They silently communicated for a moment, and then she walked closer, passing the couch and going up the stairs before stopping a few steps in front of her.

Raven didn't understand how, or why, her daughter looked so much older even though only a few years have passed for her. She didn't care, though. She was just so glad to see her little girl again. And all those feelings were bubbling up to the surface.

"…Mom."

When the one word she hasn't heard for so long left those lips, with a voice so small and hopeful, Raven couldn't hold herself for much longer.

"Sam…"

She answered in kind, small and hopeful and relieved and _she just wanted to hug her daughter_! Pushing aside all those barrier her mind and life have set up in all those years, she pulled the girl into her embrace, ignoring whatever her powers might do with the flow of extreme emotions in her veins.

The feeling was unimaginable. Raven couldn't find the right words for it, even if her life depended on it. And there was no need. With the way those small yet strong arms wrapped around her middle with a force filled with love, there was nothing, truly nothing, that could have stopped the moment.

"You're safe."

Nothing, but perhaps how tired she was.

Her body was going limp before she realized it, her tired state finally having caught up with her physical body, and Raven her mind drifted to a state of unconscious rest without any second after-thought, before she could even protest. But she didn't, her mind was elsewhere.

Still, she felt _so happy_!

* * *

Sam worries, she can't really help it.

She worries about many things. She worries about the state of the world, the balance between humans and nature. She worries for all those animals that are slaughtered for absolutely no good reason. She worries about those small things, like having her opinion heard or taking her supplements in time.

But she also worries about those big and important things. Will Danny be alright every time he fights a strong ghost? Will she or Tucker survive another ordeal in the Ghost Zone? Will Pariah Dark remain locked away? Will Dan stay stuck inside the Thermos guarded by Clockwork?

Right now, though, her biggest worry is if her mother will be alright.

When she'd just fainted in their hug, Sam had quickly started to panic, still in the high of being reunited with the person who gave birth to her after so many years of not knowing. Danny had moved in to help her catch the larger woman, and guide her to the couch, where they laid her down. He then helped Sam try and relax, assuring her that her mother is only asleep, resting from being tired.

Still, she couldn't stop worrying. Tired from what? What has happened to make her so weak? Where is the rest of the team? Where's her dad?

So many new questions, no answer so far. All they can do is wait, and hope. Wait until her mom wakes up.

Now, hours later, she hasn't moved yet from her spot on the couch, eyes looking at her mom's sleeping face intently, praying for her to wake up soon before she really loses it.

"Sam?"

She looks up with a start, but immediately calms down when she sees Danny walking over to her. He hands her a plate he had found in one of the kitchen's cupboards, a slice of pizza he had bought in the city on top. Vegan, of course.

"Thanks." She murmured softly before taking a bite. Her mind had calmed down enough so she could still remember the need to eat and drink, to stay healthy. Still, she ate faster, wanting to be over with it and wait again.

"Sam, calm down." Danny urges softly, sitting down next to her, his own slice of pizza half-eaten whilst hers is almost completely done. "She won't wake up faster if you eat like that."

She takes a bite but stops before swallowing, realizing that he's right. What's going on with her? She's never been this stressed before.

"…Sorry."

Danny shakes his head, a soft smile playing on his lips. "No, I get it. You're worried. She's your mom, even if you haven't seen her in years. You want to know what happened, right?"

She nods her head before swallowing her food. "I want to know… Everything. Where did they go? What had happened? Where's my father? All of those things…"

"And I'm sure she'll explain." Danny assures her, clasping her shoulder and giving it a soothing squeeze. "Just give her some time. Even heroes need their rest."

She smiles, but it quickly becomes a grin when she sees what he did there. "Like I once told a certain somebody?"

The halfa chuckles a little nervously, rubbing his neck. Shoot, he'd thought she wouldn't notice. "Y-yeah."

They laps into silence, but it isn't uncomfortable. It's pleasant, after talking with Danny, to have this silence. He always seems to know how to help calm her down when she isn't thinking straight. They're the other's foothold. Their support. Their reassurance. As long as they're together, nothing can push them down.

At that exact moment her senses decide to appear, and suddenly she's struck with an overwhelming feeling of warmth, kindness, love, affection, adoration, and so much more.

From both sides of herself. Her eyes dart at Danny for a moment, and the strong feeling of love, adoration and affection radiates of him like a candle, reverberating with his kindness and giving a soothing warmth.

Her eyes then go to her mother, Rachel. Subconscious love, deep and underlying care, strong feelings of protectiveness and desire to be together. It's strange. She's never been able to feel and sense so much, but it's like something inside her has started to stir, awaken, in a way.

It almost took her by surprise, but she was able to push it down. No need to worry her boyfriend, or her mother when she wakes up.

Still, she can't push back the strange familiarity. It's almost the same like when that feeling had crossed over her mind, touched at the tips of her conscious being. That motherly love and undying hope had awakened something in the back of her head, opening it like a floodgate. Suddenly, everything felt right, and she truly believes that the person lying next to her is her mother, without a shadow of a doubt.

Like a bond that hasn't been used in years was reconnected, and overwhelmed with everything it has missed for so long.

Sam blinked, not even having realized that Danny had taken their empty plates back to the kitchen and that both were now sitting on the couch, legs tucked underneath themselves and hand intertwined, heads touching against each other and shoulders rubbing softly with every breath taken. She smiled, closing her eyes and taking in the moment.

Peace, quiet. It's been so long since she's last been able to enjoy a simple day, without any worries.

And that's when she realizes it. She isn't worrying. Somehow, Danny had made her stop worrying, pulled her to the present and soothed her troubled mind.

Her smile widened, and she couldn't hold back the satisfied sigh escaping her lips.

For a moment, everything and nothing consisted only of her, and Danny, and the two of them being together. Few would think that just because she's someone who is so interested in the dark and gruesome, that she couldn't relish the feeling of being loved and returning this love. Oh, how wrong they are. Being loved and loving back is something any human can understand, no matter their opinion on the matter. It gives a satisfaction like no other, and can cause your head to loll into this state of peace and calm…

Nothing can get to you at that moment, truly nothing.

But who said that life is fair?

A groan sounded, and both snapped to attention, quickly looking to the side, where her mom was stirring lightly. She groaned again, this time stronger and much more awake, as she moved to sit up, eyes starting to open ever so lightly.

Only when she seemed to realize the position she's in, or where she really is, did her mind seem to catch on, and she shot up, eyes wide and looking around frantically.

They started a little with the sudden movement, and Danny pulled her back slightly. She didn't protest, but also wasn't so sure if leaving right now was a good idea.

She was right when her mother's eyes fell on her and Danny, and she blinked a few times before recognition and realization flashed through those violet eyes Sam's only used to see in the mirror, and not in the face of someone else.

"…It wasn't a dream."

Sam shook her head, smile slowly returning as the remaining bits of her sensing catch onto the rising love radiating of her mom. There was nothing to be afraid of.

It wasn't a dream.

"Sam." Her mom murmured softly, hand reaching out with a small shiver going through the movement. Sam her smile widens even more, and when Danny's hold on her arms slackens, she reaches out, grabbing the outstretched hand and giving it a squeeze. That bond she thought about, now seems to return tenfold, a strong feeling of right and just feeling… Like everything finally was where it belonged.

Content like she's never had before. Not with her adopted parents. Her mind barely even flinched when she thought that this time.

"Mom…" She breathed softly, closing in and letting that soft and tender touch of her mother's hand rest against the skin of her cheek. She doesn't even realize it until the wetness rolls over her finger that she's crying. She's just so happy and relieved and… And… She doesn't have the words for it.

Neither had even noticed that Danny and slowly removed himself from the couch to take a seat in the kitchen area, watching the exchange from a distance with a smile. A smile lined with content, to see Sam so happy.

But with a hint of sadness.

What if Sam didn't want to leave? No, that was a given. She's here, with her mother. And hopefully, soon her father as well. But him, he'll have to go back to Amity Park once everything is over.

Could they still be together, if she'll be living here in Jump from now on?

* * *

Raven wasn't sure for how long they had remained like that, cherishing the hold, the touch of the other. How long has it been, that her daughter was without her mother? How much has happened in all those years that seem to have passed, even if for her it were only a few. She wasn't foolish, she could see the underlined tension, the desire to ask so much.

When they finally parted, her taking a more comfortable position on the couch, she was able to take a look across the room.

Everything, really everything, was layered with dust. The tables, the chairs, the floor, the couch, the screen, even the glass. Nothing was spared by time. She even spotted a few cobwebs in corners.

'_How long have we been gone?'_

She didn't even realize she'd asked that out loud.

"Thirteen years."

Raven snapped straight, eyes darting to her daughter in a mix of pure shock and horror. That couldn't be true. It couldn't be! More than a decade?!

She bristled for a moment before realizing what was going on. Quickly she pushed everything down, forcing herself to close her eyes and breathe, in, out, in, out. She sighed, letting out the last bit of mixed emotions, calm mind taking over.

"Thirteen… Years."

Didn't mean that her voice couldn't crack when she repeated what Samantha had told her. She took another calming breath, forcing the raging emotions in her head down. She's gone for a few years without holding too much restraint on her powers, but now that she's back she has to focus, and remain calm.

There was too much around her that could break, too much that had meaning or was important.

Like her daughter, who apparently has already reached her teenage years. Last time she saw Sam… Her little girl had only been three, only just started talking whole sentences with fewer mistakes.

Now she already started to have the first signs of becoming a grown young woman. Sixteen.

Sixteen…

"I'm not intruding, am I?"

She blinked, looking behind them to spot the boy from earlier who had been so protective at first. He was standing there, looking both awkward and sheepish. Sam had looked at him as well, smile not faltering in the slightest even if he did interrupt somewhat.

"It's alright, Danny." Sam said softly, getting up from her spot before looking at the boy -Danny- again.

"Who, who are you?" She asked softly, getting up as well. The boy had tensed for a moment, and there was something strange about him. The energy she senses from him, it feels… Spiritual, unnatural. Eerie.

Like a ghost. But, how? Why? Who is this boy?

"M-my name's Danny, miss. Danny Fenton." He introduced himself, trying and failing a little at keeping himself composed. She wasn't sure why, though. Is she that hard to talk with?

"He's from Amity Park." Sam added, flashing the boy a quick and cheeky smile before regarding her again, smile faltering a fair bit. "It's… Where I've lived for those thirteen years."

So, she had a home. Good, that's… Yeah, that's good.

She let out a sigh of relief she didn't even know she had.

"Mom," Sam spoke up after the small laps of silence. The concern lined in her daughter's voice made her look up, meeting eyes. There was concern, and worry, and a hint of… Hurt, in those mirror-violet eyes. "There… I have a lot of questions."

She smiled. Small, but soft, and her daughter visibly relaxed at seeing that. Only then does Raven realize, it won't be as simple as it seems. Her daughter might accept her as her mother, but… She's grown up around other people, she isn't used to her yet. Worried, about things.

This might not be so easy as it seems. But there is always a need for a start.

"Ask away."

She hopes this is the right choice.

* * *

_It was a normal Saturday afternoon. The team had been able to relax that day, not having anything big to worry about. Many of the usual villains had decided to stay quiet for once, and those few had been easily taken down and arrested._

_Still, that didn't deter Nightwing -formerly known as Robin to his teammates- from working. He was busy looking for any criminal activity across the world, receiving updates from all the Honorary Titans across the world on certain situations._

_Cyborg was in the kitchen, reading a recipe book he had found in the city. It was about all sorts of meat-based recipes, something that didn't really surprise the other Titans in the room anymore after living with the carnivore-guy for years._

_Starfire was keeping herself busy by reading a book about Human childhood, and how parents handle those tougher teenage years. It had been a setting trend for the past week, the Tamaranean having gained a unique interest in the methods of taking care of a child from birth to adulthood on Earth. Everyone who had noticed had started making small bets on how long it will take before she'll broach the subject to her husband, Nightwing._

_They would be in for a treat when it would happen._

_Some would say, though, that the older couple is a bit late in comparison to others._

_Said reason for the comparison walked in through the door. Or, better told, the person holding said reason walked through the sliding doors._

_Raven had that small morning smile on her face, what normally dictated that she was either in a good mood or something special had happened. But by the way that she was holding the still-sleeping three-year old Sam in her arms, she was just in a good mood for once._

_Everyone gave her their own greeting, and as Raven sat down in the couch, Sam started to stir a little. She had been very sleepy all day today, they'd started teaching her how to meditate. The others had expressed concern on why Raven decided to start at such young age, but when the goth told them she had gone through the same back in her old home of Azarath, they'd quickly shut up about it._

_They know better than to bring up her less than satisfactory childhood among the monks of Azarath. Something that Raven had decided from the start wasn't going to happen. Sam would have the childhood she deserved, for better or worse._

_Everyone agree it was for the better._

_The little girl yawned as she woke up, stretching herself in her mother's arms. She cuddled a bit closer to the warmth of her loving parent, and Raven her small smile widened ever so slightly. Her daughter is, quite a lot like her father, a bit of a cuddler when just waking up._

_As she opened her violet eyes a bit more, Sam finally noticed she was in the Ops Room, and that the others were there as well, minus her dad. She beamed a smile at her mom before wiggling free from her hold and jumping to sit on her own spot on the couch._

"_M'rning." She mumbled softly, but frowned when Cyborg chuckled at her._

"_It ain't morning, kiddo. It's just the afternoon."_

_She looked outside of the window and noticed that the sun wasn't rising, but softly descending, like Cyborg had said. A small blush formed in her cheeks as she started twirling with her pigtails a little, a small habit she had when flustered._

_Raven had moved to a more comfortable spot, and with her powers she'd picked a book from the bookcase at one side of the room. It really wasn't something she did that often anymore, most of her attention normally going to taking care of her daughter or protecting the city, plus taking care of her husband._

_She still woke up sometimes, though, thinking it's all just a dream. But whenever she sees her daughter sleeping soundly in her new bed, and her loving husband in their bed next to her, she can't stop that feeling of relief and content washing over her like cool water._

_She only shifted a little when little Sam crawled over the couch to sit between her crossed legs, toying a little with the tips of her cloak._

_The moment of peace was short-lived, though, when suddenly an alarm went off. Everyone looked up, turning to their leader. Nightwing was already typing away on the console, and suddenly the screen changed._

_The face of an unpleasantly familiar person appeared on screen._

"_Slade."_

_Even after all those years, Nightwing's reaction every time they faced this particular villain proved just how much hatred one man could cause. Pure venom was laced in the man's voice, anger of such power radiating outwards that even Raven felt a little overwhelmed with the sudden change in atmosphere._

_The thing is, this was the first time in five years since they've last seen the villain._

_And back then Sam wasn't a thing yet. Now she was._

_Raven had moved her cloak to cover her daughter as soon as she noticed it was Slade, and prayed to Azar that the maniac man hadn't seen her little girl in that moment. As the man started with his usual rant, though, it didn't seem like he had._

"_Mommy?" Little Samantha's whispered voice came from under her cloak. Raven gave a soft and almost undetectable hush, calming her daughter softly by holding the girl's hand and rubbing her back soothingly underneath the large cloak._

"_What do you want, Slade?" Nightwing demanded with a hiss, the others agreeing in a beat. Raven remained neutral, keeping her face level and defiant. She wasn't going to show him just how afraid she is right now, if he saw Sam and figured out the rest._

_So far they'd been lucky with villains that did figure out about their daughter. Assaults on the Tower had been more frequent, but they were always quickly dealt with, and Sam had hardly noticed anything of what really was going on. She was still too little and young to fully understand how dangerous her parents job as heroes really is._

"_I have a simple request, really." Slade answered in that disturbingly calm voice, despite the clear anger from the Titans. "I have a challenge for you, Robin." Nightwing corrected the man in a flash, stating he isn't Robin anymore, but Slade promptly ignored him. "I want you to find something."_

"_What, so you can try and steal it?"_

"_In the contrary!" Slade declared with a chuckle, and Raven felt the rising fear of her little one hiding under her cloak. She rubbed soft circles on the small hand clutching hers, going soothingly over Sam's back to keep her calm. Slade can't know. 'Hurry, she can't take much more.'_

"_All I need you to find is a small gift I left in the city."_

_Nightwing narrowed his eyes, not liking where this is going in the least. He had noticed what Raven was doing, he has to finish this before Samantha can't take the negativity around her anymore. They can't afford Slade knowing that Raven and Beast Boy have a daughter. It already had been a struggle when Slade had discovered he and Starfire were dating, let alone married._

"_What small gift?"_

"_Nothing special, honestly," Slade said nonchalantly, but that only got Nightwing more riled up. "Just a simple Quantum-Dimension-bomb."_

_Cyborg gasped in disbelief, causing Slade to chuckle, a very dark and grim undertone rising up._

"_Be fast, Teen Titans." Slade finished, and then the screen turned black. Everyone in the room heaved a sigh of relief, and Raven pulled her cloak away. Sam was clutching her neck in no time, hugging herself close to her mom for comfort. She whispered soft nothings, rubbing her little girl softly on the back to help her calm down._

_Raven knew that, despite the spell she has cast over her daughter, the little girl can still feel the emotions of others like she does. All the negative emotions in the air is something she could easily deal with, but Sam wasn't yet used to anything of that sort, and was quickly overwhelmed. It was a miracle she had held out for so long._

_Nightwing spared them a glance before turning to Cyborg._

"_Cyborg, what do you know about that thing Slade mentioned?"_

_They didn't know it at the moment, as Cyborg explained what a Quantum-Dimension-bomb is and Nightwing planned their plan of attack, but things were about to change, drastically._

_Very drastically._

* * *

"What _is_ a Quantum-Dimension-bomb?"

Raven looked up at Danny, taking a small breath to calm herself. She had almost started when he spoke up when she took a break from telling them what had happened. Sam was sitting very still, the gears working behind those thoughtful eyes. Absorbing everything and processing them.

Looks like she inherited more than just her looks from her mom.

Still, it also unnerved Raven a little, that she was so surprised with the way her daughter is acting, that she didn't expect it. Proves just how much it matters to be there when your daughter grows up. It isn't just your child that misses out on so much. It are also the parents as well, not knowing what their daughter will turn out to be without them around to teach her. Which reminds her…

She still has to ask Sam who took care of her, and if she knew what had happened when they had disappeared.

But, back to Danny's question.

"A bomb of that sort can rip open a tear in the fabric of reality, creating a portal to another dimension. If set right, a bomb like that could pull the entire city into another dimension."

The boy gave an involuntary shiver, straightening himself a bit.

"You… stopped it, right?" He asked cautiously, taking a glance outside. She understood why he was suddenly so cautious about the world outside. He was also only three when it had happened, he doesn't know if they succeeded or not.

"Slade had tricked us, again. The bomb went off, but instead of pulling the whole city along-"

"-It pulled you guys in." Sam finished with a breath of realization. Raven nodded grimly. Sam was right. They'd been pulled inside another dimension thanks to the bomb, and the tear it had created in space had closed behind them, locking her and the others inside.

"Nightwing had thought it was smart to take everyone along, and I reluctantly left you with a few of our friends. After we were sealed away in that other dimension, all we could think about was trying to find a way back."

"And you did." Danny stated, and her expression turned slightly sheepish.

"Yeah… But, well… The others don't know that."

"…What?" Both teens gave her incredulous looks, and Raven gave a small wince. Boy, she never thought that she'd be the one facing looks like that again. Perhaps Nightwing, but not her.

"It was an experiment, I… Didn't actually think it would work!"

"And now my dad and the rest of the Titans are still stuck in that place?" Sam asked, her voice icy calm. Raven nodded, trying to pull herself together again. She really was starting to miss those barriers she'd built over the years. A chance to meditate is very much appreciated right now.

"…Yes."

The black-haired girl took a few calming breaths, her mind right now a small whirlwind. Her mom, who she hasn't seen in years, has escaped from another dimension without telling her friends and husband that she was trying to do so? She really wasn't sure what to think of that right now.

"Sam," Danny speaks up, getting her attention. He takes her shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "I'm sure there are other ways of getting the Titans out of there. And I'm sure your… Mom, knows a way to do so. Right?" He glances at Raven, who quickly nods her head. Sam wasn't as convinced, but she knew she had to trust Danny on this one. He was a lot calmer right now than she mentally is. She's still recovering from being reunited with her mother after all those years.

"I do. There are other Titans, some who know how to work with dimensions and creating portals to these dimensions. If I can get their help, we'll have the others free in no-time."

They nodded. That sounded as a good plan.

If only it was as easy in practice.

* * *

**Not much to say but, remember to review, fav and follow! See you guys next time!**


	5. CH 4: Attempts

**Hey! Remember me? *dodges tons of garbage, gets hit in the face with a rotten tomato* HEY!**

**Alright, maybe I did deserve that last one. *quickly wipes face* Anyhow, I'm pretty sure ya'll have been wandering where I've been, right? Well...**

**Yeah, I've got nothing. Besides going through the usual cr*p that is my family's boring Summer Vacation, I've been rather inactive in the whole writing-for-fanfiction deal. Think not, I _have_ been writing stuff! Just... Not the stuff I should be writing.**

**(God have mercy for my drafts have sinned)**

**Now, the only reason I'm so late with this chapter is because, mostly, I... I forgot. Yeah, I know, stupid excuse. Forgetting is human you know! I'm only a mere mortal too!**

**Anyways, now that I've got that behind me...**

**Disclaimer! (always seem to forget somehow) I do not own any of the characters of either Teen Titans or Danny Phantom!**

**Enjoy reading folks!**

* * *

Apparently, getting in contact with the rest of the Titans was a lot more of a hustle than they first thought.

When Raven had tried the conventional way, using her communicator, it simply gave static and nothing else. The same went with the large computer they normally use to keep tabs on the city and the various crimes that might be going on right now.

She tried different frequencies, taking a few hints from Nightwing's book on how to get back in contact with anyone if something had happened and the coms were down. Nothing changed, and at the end Raven was sure she would need a meditation session of at least a few hours to get herself back together and completely calmed down.

Worst was when she discovered that her girl's adopted parents, something the black-haired girl hadn't known until yesterday ("You didn't know?" "No, they weren't really very _open_ on the subject.") are looking for their legal daughter, who is reported missing. Putting the fact that her daughter ran away from her adoption home and parents in the back of her mind for now, Raven only gave Sam a reproachful look before continuing with getting any sort of contact established with the other Titans.

Then there also was the subject of Samantha's 'friend', Danny Fenton. He did have some people who know where he went (who he won't tell, though, just 'some friends'), but Raven had a variety of questions for him. Like how they got on the island (both her daughter and him), how he got into the tower and past Cyborg's defenses, and also how the two their relationship worked (she wasn't about to accept 'he's just a friend' from her daughter. They're obviously something more if the boy was willing to protect her with his life, and judging by those looks she's very familiar with after having lived with Starfire and Nightwing for years).

Also, she wanted to ask him about the strange feeling of spiritual energy radiating from the teen. It was different then when she sensed the departing of souls or the presence of ghosts, a lot less strong yet very, very focused and sturdy. And she could feel the anxiety radiating off him as well, but also the powerful sense of love towards Sam.

In the way he's been protecting Sam and keeping her daughter safe, and also by the way she's noticed that her daughter is very fond of the teen boy, Raven could concede to let their relationship blossom. She knows for a fact that Garfield will lay the rules down at some point. Once they're all back, of course. That first.

Augh, she's already rambling in her mind.

It was close to nighttime when Danny pointed out he was getting tired, and Raven had to admit she was starting to feel the sleep tugging at her mind as well. Sam didn't say anything, and when they turned to her they saw the raven girl sleeping soundlessly on the couch, arm looped around a cleaned-up pillow. The two teens had busied themselves with cleaning up the room, so the couch was clean as well.

"She always fell asleep on that couch." Raven whispered softly, a wistful look in her eyes as she undid her cloak and laid it over her sweet girl like a blanket. She noticed Danny coming closer from the corner of her eyes, a pleasant smile on his face as he watched Sam sleep without any worries.

'_She always worries so much, she even showed it in her sleep whenever I caught her dozing.'_ He thought with an internal chuckle, his mind finding some peace in seeing his love sleeping deeply.

"So…" The woman started softly after she was sure her daughter was tucked in to the best of her ability, turning to face the boy teen. "Am I going to have to ask Sam if she's dating a ghost, or what?" She wasn't one for the round-about way of asking. Being blunt is something that comes with keeping your emotions in check, and growing up among the monks of Azarath.

Danny tensed, casting her a slightly fearful and anxious glance before plastering a grin on his face that could make Starfire wince. Far too forced, not reaching his stark-blue eyes _at all_. It's almost like he's trying to get the muscles in his mouth to snap.

"Ghosts? What about ghosts?"

Did he really think that'll fool her?

"I can feel it, you know. My powers let me sense things. I can feel your spiritual energy like a fire in the cold."

He cast her a confused look for a second before he seemed to make the connection. Fear flashed over his features before being drowned out, and was replaced with steady eyes and a determination she had only ever seen from her own husband whenever he defends her from those who aren't a fan of her and her powers.

She found a rise of respect for the teen in that reaction. He's at least ten years younger than her, and most likely not strong enough (yet) to face her without knowing the true extent of her powers. And she was sure he knew this as well, judging by how he was in a defensive stance and not one where in he could strike first. His eyes darted around for a moment, taking in the room and whatever it holds. _'Looking for weapons or means of escape. Clever.'_

"What are you going to do?" He asked her, voice hinting lightly to hidden fear and a great sense of anxiety. She could feel as such, despite the confident determination overclouding everything. Why would he have the confidence of a hero, though? He seems almost trained for battle. "Kill me? Try to destroy me? Get rid of me just because all ghost are evil?"

Woah, what happened in all those years she was gone? Where did this fear of prejudice come from? Raven couldn't just_ hear_ the venom at the last statement soundly, the feeling that rushed over her from the teen was filled with loathing, and judging by his tone he clearly doesn't agree with it one bit either.

And neither does she, but he doesn't know that yet.

"That isn't what I said," She eased slowly, keeping her hands up and in show, pulling her powers inwards as much as the focus she has right now allows, which isn't as much as she had hoped for. "I just wanted to be sure. I'm not against it, I really am not. I just want the best for my little girl. I can feel the love you two share." She allowed a small smile to grace her lips, eyes communicating the truth in her words

Danny his face was confused for a moment, his stance slackening as he took that in. After a few tense moments he relaxed completely (well, almost, that's good enough for now), offering the older goth a sheepish smile and a quick "sorry" before accepting her point.

"How are you hiding it?" She asked after a beat of silence, genuinely curious. Danny frowned at her, doing a quick scan of her features. She showed trust and assurance that he isn't as used to, besides with Sam, Tucker, Jazz and his parents of course. After a moment he sighed, shaking his head lightly at her, not a negative but just in small exasperation. She really is Sam's mother.

Raven was momentarily startled when a pair of white glowing rings -that she could sense were made up of the same concentrated, focused spiritual energy the boy radiated outwards- appeared around Danny's waist. They slid over him, and the feeling of a dreadful tingling crossed her neck and passed her spine, reaching to her entire body and almost causing her to shiver. It wasn't like the change she feels when a soul turns into a ghost, it felt too _alive _to be that. It was like he changed sides, his human part taking a backseat row and letting his ghost-side take control. Yet, she could sense that mentally he hasn't changed, although the older goth did feel the sudden formation of specific barriers, holding back a part of his mind.

'_Why is that?'_

When the rings were done and gone, she was faced with a very different-looking Danny. White hair as stark and bright as pure winter snow. A black-white HAZMAT suit that covered his entire body asides the face, white gloves and boots, black inner part and a unique D-symbol on his chest. _'Huh, like a true hero.'_

He opened his eyes to reveal green glowing pupils that seemed to stare into her soul.

"Like this, I'm Danny Phantom. I… Protect Amity Park from frequent ghost-attacks. I'm a half-ghost, unlike what you and everyone else thinks." Danny explained, hovering in the air for a moment before swinging around and taking a perch on the head-rest of the couch, legs in a meditative position and chin resting in a hand. "Satisfied?"

"Very." She monotoned, and he blinked at her for a moment, not used to seeing her stoic and monotone appearance so suddenly. She cracked a small grin at the surprise on his face. "So you're a hero?"

"Pretty much. Saved the Earth once from being turned into space-rubble." He shrugged like it wasn't a big deal, but Raven her eyes had gone wide in shock. The Earth had been in danger? And they weren't there to help! Her eyes narrowed murderously, mind already thinking about all the ways she can make Slade suffer for locking them in that twisted dimension.

"Once I find Slade he'll wish that he wasn't born." She ground out, and somewhere in the tower a lightbulb sprang into pieces. Danny shivered, a feeling of dread passing through him for a moment before disappearing as quick as it came. _'Alright, don't anger your girlfriend's actual mother. Dully noted.'_

They moved to the kitchen after that, Raven asking some things about Amity Park and the Manson's. Danny had an inkling as to why she wanted to know the people who adopted her daughter, but he was somewhat confused.

"You said you left her with friends." He asked after Raven finished getting the kettle going for some late tea to ease her nerves. She was still reeling a little from everything she's finding out since being free. The woman gave a nod at his question, not turning from the kettle. "Why did she end up with the Manson's then, if they aren't your friends."

Raven honestly had no idea, and knows for a fact that as soon as she's got contact repaired tomorrow she's going to ask those particular people why her daughter ended up being adopted and left clueless about her parents and the Teen Titans and everything else.

Raven felt a small spike in power from her daughter's sleeping form, and the empath mentally added a note to see what has happened to the blocking spell she had cast all those years ago. She didn't have the chance to check it in all of that time. _'Great, another thing for the growing list.'_

"I honestly don't know, and tomorrow I'm going to find out either way." She said in the end, a sense of finality in her words before changing subject. She asked Danny about some of the fights he's had to face and which ghosts he knows. She was a little confused when he talked about the Ghost Zone and the things inside, but when he started calling names like Clockwork and Pandora he had her full attention.

No one knows the Master of Time or a God without reason.

Danny wasn't so open about the reason for him and the Ghost of Time meeting, though. She didn't press, either. He gave of an air of fear and doubt, and his face spoke of having seen things no one should of that age. Raven decided it was better to change subject to something easier or she could lose her only chance of getting to know the boy (half ghost? She isn't so sure yet) better.

As they continued talking, the level of conversation growing friendlier with every word, neither Danny nor Raven noticed the happy, not-so-sleepy smile appearing on Sam her face, a hand purposefully reaching out to clutch the cloak draped over herself a little closer.

* * *

The next morning, Raven was faced with the first sign of trust from Danny, the boy telling her about something useful.

One of his friends (and also apparently Samantha's friend), Tucker, is apparently quite the skilled techno-geek, and if he were to get his hands on the communication systems of Titans Tower, the teen could most likely get everything back up and running. At first she was skeptical, after all the only person to ever have meddled with the Tower's systems is Cyborg, the one who made the tower in the first place, and everything within.

It was the confidence Sam showed in their friend's skill that did it for her, and the fact she was growing rather desperate. Raven reluctantly agreed, letting Danny leave so he could pick up the other teen, who was still in Amity Park waiting for news from his best friend.

"Are you sure that your friend can fix our communications?" She asked, still a bit uncertain. Danny had already left the tower, phasing through the window before vanishing into the sky above Jump City. She at least now knows how the kid got inside the tower unnoticed.

Sam gave her a look like she was starting to doubt if her mom was even being serious, but the clear concern on Raven's face placated the thought itself.

"I'm sure, mom. Tuck can fix anything. If he can't, then no one can."

Smiling lightly at being called 'mom' by her daughter, even after hearing it before, Raven sighed in resignation. _'I suppose, if she can really trust him…'_

Silence fell. Not one that was awkward or unwanted, just a silence that spoke more words than anything else. Both were still dealing with many new discoveries, and they needed time to process this.

Raven moved from the console to the kitchen, grabbing the kettle she used from yesterday to boil some more water, whilst her powers opened the cabinet and grabbed a teabag. She was at the least grateful these were those special ones Cyborg stocks up on. The ones that last for decades.

When she reached for the cups, though, she paused for a moment, turning to see what Sam was doing. The blackhead was watching her, eyes focused intently yet in a way staring at nothing in particular. Raven shrugged, taking two in the case her daughter wants one as well.

At least the fact she's finally with her daughter again, even if she missed out on practically all of her little girl's childhood, is settling in better now. It might take a while before she's fully over it, though. But it's getting better, ever so slowly.

After waiting for the water patiently she pours the two cups and puts a teabag in each. Taking both Raven heads back to the lounge-area, wordlessly offering one cup. Sam her eyes widen for a split-second at the offer before a warm smile forms on her face and she takes the cup with a nod.

Another likeliness. They both like tea. Good to note.

Both take a side of the large couch, occasionally sipping from their tea whilst pondering their thoughts.

Sam was still getting used to the fact she was together with her real, biological mother. And that was the other part she was still confused about. Sure, being with her real mom is nice and all, but… She couldn't help but still feel that same connection with her adopted mother. Mostly because her adopted mom was the person she's not only been calling 'mother' for over a decade, but also because Pamela is the one who, technically speaking (especially since she's been quit a rebel for a long while now), raised her.

Raven at the other hand was pondering other thoughts. Besides the usual elatedness of being with her daughter, her little girl, she was starting to form an actual plan for when communications are restored, and also how to explain a few things to her little girl. But, first getting the Titans back. She'll need someone who knows how to handle portals. Herald, perhaps? Or maybe someone who knows magic like Jinx or…

* * *

Their thoughts lasted at least a good while, close to an hour, before they were (rudely if you asked Raven) interrupted by a phone ringing. Sam nearly jumped from her seat, but quickly recovered and takes her phone from her bag, quickly answering once she sees the number. It was Danny. _'Why would he call me? Did something go wrong?'_

"Yeah?"

"_Hey, uh, Sam…"_

She did _not _like the sound of Danny's voice.

"Danny. What happened?" She asked, eyes darting to her mom. Raven had put her cup away for now, turned towards her and obviously listening in on their conversation.

"_Well, I got here as fast as I could and firstly went to try to see if Tuck was at his place, but then his parents said he was at my place, and there Jazz told me he was at your place and now-"_

"Danny, slow down! You're not making any sense."

She could hear Danny take a deep breath at the other side.

"_WhenItriedtogetTuckertocomealongyourparentsinsistedoncomingalongandnowthey'recomingandI'msosorry!"_

She blinked a few times, head reeling to puzzle together what exactly he had just spilled out. It took Sam exactly ten seconds to piece together the jumble of words, and another five to realize the implications of what her boyfriend had just vocalized past the phoneline.

Her adopted parents are coming to the tower. They're going to meet her mom, and chances are they'll be at the other end of a sharp spear or some other kind of weapon her mother might conjure up because of the fact they didn't ever tell their adopted daughter anything about her real parents or the Titans.

Alright, time for damage-control.

Sam inhaled slowly, taking the moment to recollect herself and keep a calm face (and vocals). She exhaled softly, the cleansing breathe taking all her worries away (for the moment), allowing her to start focusing on the first part.

Calming down her hyperventilating boyfriend.

"Danny, you still with me?"

"_Y-yeah, Sam. I'm still here. Although Pamela is kind of getting impatient glaring at me talking on their phone."_

Pushing aside how much easier Danny had called her adopted mom by her real name, Sam instead focused on getting Danny's thought elsewhere. If he didn't, she could already picture the half-ghost boy spiraling down into his own guilt.

"Okay. Look, Danny, I understand that this wasn't the initial plan, but don't worry. We'll handle this as it goes. Just make sure that all three of them make it here safely. Don't worry about what they might say. Just get Tuck to call his parents and explain why he has to leave, make sure _your_ parents know whats going on as well, and then bring the three of them here. Okay? You got me?"

She heard the halfa take a few calming breaths at the other side, and when he spoke again she could tell he had a wry smile on his face.

"_Quite something for today, isn't it?"_

Sam couldn't hold in the small snort at Danny's words. They had only realized it this morning after waking up, but today is their two-month anniversary of being together as a couple. Not to mention it's a Monday. She should be at school right now! Both of them, actually.

Wait, why wasn't Tucker at school? Nah, she better not ask. Who knows what the answer might be with him.

"Yeah, I know. So, see you in a few hours?"

"_Yeah, in a few hours. Bye, Sam… Love you."_

She smiled warmly, deciding that if her real mom wanted to prod, she already could have, and so it didn't really matter if Raven found out this way or another.

"Bye, Danny. Love you too."

The call ended. Sam took in a breath as she put her phone away, letting it out slowly again before turning to face her mother. Raven hadn't moved from her spot on the sofa, but her cup of tea was gone and she had a very neutral look on her face.

It matched the pictures Sam found of her online a lot better. She wasn't so keen on it herself, though. It gave her the chills, and not in a good way.

"So…"

She waited for a few moments, anticipating the way her mother might react. Seeing no change on the surface, she took her chances.

"Danny told me that my adopted parents are coming as well. You… Alright with that?" Sam asked, silently cursing the way her voice cracked near the end, or the way she seemed to flinch slightly. Gods, why is she suddenly so nervous being around her mom? Is it because she knows from the articles she read that her mom can be rather cold in certain situations? Or is it the way that Raven's facial expression hasn't even twitched a muscle, merely blinked on auto.

It was a little bit unsettling, and somewhat nerve-wracking.

"Yes." The empath answered after a few more terse seconds, face relaxing after a seemingly internal debate, and Sam silently slacked a breath of relief. She tensed slightly when a hand grasped her shoulder, but relaxed when seeing the soft look in her mom's eyes.

"Sam, I understand that you're worried. I'm not going to hurt them, at least not yet. I want answers just as much as you do. Besides, it has to happen at some point, right? How else am I ever going to get my baby girl back?"

Sam had relaxed after hearing that her adopted parent are going to be fine, at least for a little while, but when she heard that last part her eyes went wide before a feeling of anxiousness settled in her stomach. She nervously rubbed at the finger with the ring. Her mind silently wondered why Raven hasn't asked anything yet about the ring...

"About that… I'm… Not so sure yet if I really want to come back…"

For her account, Raven only as much as arched an eyebrow, hiding the sudden spikes of fear rising up in her heart at hearing the uncertainty and sensing the anxiousness of her daughter.

"I… It's just… I've lived in Amity for almost my entire life, I have friends there, and I don't know if I can live so far away from Danny, and I… I just don't know yet, mom. I'm thinking about it, so… Not now, okay? At least let me talk about with Danny and Tucker first?"

Raven offered her little girl a warm, understanding smile before pulling the younger goth into a hug. Sam sighed slightly into the hug, but looped her arms around her mother's waist nonetheless, basking in the warmth and love she's feeling through it.

They talked a bit more after that, stupid little things like how Sam's life in Amity Park was like, how its like when living the life of a hero in such a big and busy city. They talked about nothing and everything, and before either knew it the perimeter alert from the Tower's defense system's activated, showing a clear visual of Danny holding (somewhat awkwardly) onto a group of three.

Raven, after making sure that the Tower wasn't going to end up shooting the halfa and his passengers out of the sky, moved to the kitchen, suspecting that at some point they're going to need something to eat. It's already a bit late for lunch, but dinner might still be an option.

Sam watched with relief as Danny phased through the ceiling, touching down gently in the center of the common room before letting go of the three people he was carrying. Tucker immediately made some space before crouching to kiss the ground.

"Land! Sweet solid land!"

The couple rolled their eyes fondly at the antics of their friend, but the Manson's were a lot less focused on that.

Instead they were staring wide-eyed at the form of Raven walking out of the kitchen.

For a moment nothing happened. The married couple simply stared, whilst the empathic woman silently observed the two, mentally judging them for what worth they were as Sam's parents, adopted that is.

Finally, violet met green and blue, and the Manson's snapped out of their stupor.

"You… You're… How can this be?" Pamela asked, speechless beyond anything else but what she managed to force out. Her husband was just as shocked, but more talkative.

"You were missing… No one has seen the Titans for thirteen years now. How… How… Since when did you get here?"

"Since yesterday." Raven answered coldly, not exactly willing to show much kindness to the people who've kept her daughter in the dark for over a decade, but she also had to begrudgingly admit that they seem adequate enough to have taken care of Samantha, as failing as they've been at times.

"Where… Where are the other four?" Jeremy asked after a few tense seconds, eyes darting around the room as if anticipating an ambush. He was so deep in shock that the man didn't notice the trio of friends whispering in a corner, discussing what Tucker has missed and why he's actually here.

"We're working on that." Raven answered swiftly, in no way hoping to tell the married couple what exactly is going on. What plans are being made. "I'm not wrong when I'm saying you're the Manson's? The people who cared for Samantha?"

The couple shakily nodded their heads, slightly afraid with the way Raven was sizing them up. Unlike what common believe might dictate, the older Manson couple can in fact get scared, and right now they're scared shitless of the purple-haired woman looking them over like they're going to be send to the slaughterhouse after this is all said and done.

"I… I can't lie and say I'm not glad that she had people caring for her." Raven admits after a few more cold glances, her lips tugging slightly downwards at the bad taste that sentence left in her mouth, shoulders slumping in self-loathing. She hates admitting these kind of things, Beast Boy would have been in stitches if he knew what she was going through right now. And it also gnawed at her consciousness knowing that her daughter was raised by pure strangers.

The married couple slacked a breath of relief at hearing that, but their moment of peace was quickly cut short when Raven gave the two a fierce glare, mood switching into something she's more accustomed to.

"But, asides of that, I'm not happy after hearing that you kept so much secret from Sam. Or the very fact that my daughter was in the care of people I know virtually nothing about."

They gulped, legs suddenly feeling a little weaker as they faced down the temper of the pale titan. Raven held her glare for a few more moments before taking a calming breath, eyes going over from the couple to the trio now gathered around the console connecting to the Tower's main systems and the large computer screen behind the console.

Sam looked away at that moment, and she smiled at her mom before giving a gesture for her to come over. Raven was relieved at seeing that things might be getting better soon, and took a few approaching steps before taking the couple standing in front of her by surprise when she lifted off the ground and flew the short distance towards the console, passing overhead of the Manson's and leaving them utterly stunned at the display of finesse and control in her powers.

The three teens though weren't even fazed, having seen enough floating ghosts worth a lifetime to no longer find it abnormal for someone to suddenly float away, even if that person is considered human (or half-human, though none know this).

"There were a few programs that needed some updating, and a bug had worked it's way into the comms, but I've cleared that out as well. There are still a lot of things that need updating or some minor fixes, but that's all for now." Tucker quickly explains when he moves from the seat so Raven could take his place. The cloaked titan gave him a kind nod, keeping the introductions for later, and instead focused on getting contact established with the other Titans.

"Sam, take the Manson's and make sure they don't cause any trouble. Danny, you too. I'd like to keep Tucker here so he can help if something else goes wrong."

The empath receives three nods of understanding, and then they're on the move. Tucker causally saunters over to the kitchen, mind going over the possibility of finding food in the fridge. Sam grabs her adopted parents, pushing them out of the room so her mom has some privacy, and because she wants to have a good word with them as well. Danny trails behind his girlfriend, an amused smug look on his face when seeing that the Manson's are yet to snap out of their dazed looks.

The sound of a hiss announces the closing of the door, and Raven heaves a silent breath of relief. She didn't want to deal with the other Titans asking a thousand and one questions, all the whilst her daughter was in the room.

Not to mention what might happen if they saw Sam all grown up like that. The poor girl would have been crushed by the amount of questions send her way.

Taking a final guarded breath (and a glance behind her with her senses to make sure that the boy, Tucker, wouldn't cause any problems), Raven presses the call button on the first number that might help.

She's relieved at seeing the call connect this time around, and soon the screen is alight with the symbol of the Titans, glowing in and out.

After a few tense seconds it connects through, the screen changing from black with the large yellow T-symbol, to a scene that would have greatly amused the pale titan if her situation wasn't so vastly different from what she's used to.

The common room of Titans East was on the screen, and all the members of the group that had been founded all those years ago were on there as well, if older. What was so amusing was the fact that they were all staring at their own screen with wide eyes, gaping mouths, paused in whatever action they'd been doing before that.

The first to react was Bumblebee, the dark-skinned woman blinking her eyes, silently closing her mouth, and then coughing to try and salvage her pride for being caught in the middle of her reading.

"R-Raven. W-what's going on? You… You're back?"

Raven smiled at the sight before here, inside relieved that no one has forgotten. She focused on the people in front of her, her eyes already darting across all the familiar-yet-changed faces on the large screen. Her smile slowly fades, replaced with the pale and emotionless façade she always carries with her.

"I'm back. But, I need your help. Any of you know where Herald is?"

Time to get to work.

* * *

**And that's done. I'm not sure how long it will take for me to finish the next chapter, but don't keep up hopes too much. College is starting up soon, and I might not have the time (or endurance) to work on the story for a while.**

**Anyways, do remember to review, fav and follow! And I'll catch you guys, on another day.**


	6. CH 5: Emotions

**So... I've finally come back! And, with a new chapter!**

**...**

**Yeah, I'm pretty sure that some of you were getting a bit worried. Nonetheless, I'm finally starting to get some new work done on my running stories! And I've also got another one in the woodworks, right now still in the pre-reading phase, though.**

**Besides that, I don't have much to say. No excuses, those won't work, I'm aware. All I can really say is: College really drains a man, huh?**

**Anyhow, on to the story!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters starring in this story, nor any of the scenery. Only the story and any potential OC's**

* * *

At one point during the planning and talking going on at the large-size screen, Tucker managed to sneak away with a small haul consisting of some bottles of soda he found in a cupboard and a pizza he heated up in the microwave. He breathed a silent sigh of relief when the doors hissed close behind him, and continued down the halls in the hopes of finding his best buddies and make sure they actually eat something.

Heaven knows how little Danny might have eaten because of nerves alone!

The geek quickly found the couple talking in hushed voices next to a door. Tucker arched a curious and confused eyebrow when he saw the label on the door itself, reading 'Guest Room', but he quickly realized who might be inside once he noticed the lack of Sam's adopted parents.

"Guys?"

The duo quickly stopped conversing, turning to their friend with worried glances. Tucker tossed them a reassuring grin, and watched with some amusement as the tenseness in their shoulders eased immensly. Not completely, but good enough to be acceptable.

"Pizza?" Tucker offered, showing the opened box and the still slightly steaming pizza inside. Danny had to fight the urge to drool as the smell wafted towards him. Sam wanted to turn around and leave until the smell of no-meat entered her nose, causing the black-haired girl to look at the food as well and then at her friend, geek grinning widely in a knowing way.

Before long all three friends are seated on the floor, box in the middle as they ate and drank, talking about what's been going on since the start of this crazy new adventure.

"So, the Manson's are just… Talking?" The techno geek questioned with a pointed look at the closed door after taking a bite and swallowing, pointing his half-eaten slice towards the door of the guest-room, and almost spilling some of the sauce on his shirt.

"Yeah, something about having to consider legal plans." Danny states with an exaggerated eyeroll. Sam her face wrinkled in a scowl as she's reminded of what her adopted parents might be doing.

"You mean they want to keep Sam a Manson?"

"Well, that's what legal papers _might_ mean." Sam conceded after she finished her slice, peering with downcast eyes at her bottle of soda. A small sigh escaped her lips as she glanced up at her two best friends. "I'm pretty sure though that Raven will win if it ever comes down to a court-sitting. She _is_ my biological mother. Theoretically speaking my adoption isn't even officially legal, seeing as there aren't any papers stating that I would be put up for adoption after the disappearance of my parents."

"But, what about Amity Park?" Danny asked softly, turning to face his girlfriend. The unasked questions shone in his baby-blue eyes, clear as day to Sam when she met his gaze with her own, uncertain one. _'What about me? What about our friendship? Our relationship? The ghost-hunting?'_

"I… I don't know. I told mom that I need time to think, but, honestly? I… I think I want to stay, you guys. She's my mom, my_ real_ mom. She cares about me, she loves me. We're so much more alike, you wouldn't believe it! There are so many reasons I should come back to Amity, but… I feel like it's better if I stay here."

"But, what about all the ghost-fighting? What about going to the Nasty Burger to avoid the cafeteria lunch? Sam!" Tucker almost lunged at the goth but refrained just, instead holding her gaze with a look filled with the unfairness of the entire situation. "Are the three of us going to have to… Split?"

Tucker's final question caused a hush to fall over the trio, the sound of silence deafening in their ears. Sam fidgeted with her hands, uneasiness rising the longer the silence continued. The sudden sad glances from her friends made it all the more difficult. She doesn't want to abandon her friends! But at the same time…

"I… I don't-"

Whatever she wanted to say was cut off when the door besides them opened up, revealing the Manson's, face hard-set and hands clenched tightly. The couple walked past the teens like they weren't even there, headed straight for the OP-Center.

The trio jumped up from their spots, pizza and drinks left behind as they went to catch up. The air those two were giving off, the determined looks and knowledge of the married couple. It was like they had sirens above their head, shouting out 'DANGER!' over and over again.

This couldn't be good.

* * *

"Raven, you sure everything's fine? If you need a moment, we can talk another time. You can't be alright with everything that's-"

Raven tossed an askance glance towards Bumblebee, silencing the woman from saying anything else. She wasn't much in the mood to hear anymore from the team-leader about how she 'isn't alright'.

Not alright is an amazing understatement.

Herald has already been contacted, and everything that they've been talking about now is mostly about the reason _why_ her daughter ended up being adopted by two pure strangers living in a town she's never heard of.

The news she got was… _Less_ than she originally expected. Somewhere in her mind she had been afraid that Slade was somehow behind it all, but in the end it turned out to be something completely different. Still a lot of complicated messes, but not one that would require fighting a bad guy.

But that doesn't mean she's _happy_ with the revelation of what really happened that left her daughter adopted and unknowing of her true heritage!

Raven opened her mouth to continue questioning the Titans East, but whatever she intended to say was cut off when the doors of the OP-Center opened behind her with a swoosh, and whoever walked through caught the attention of the team at the other side of the screen, all eyes going towards the source of the sound.

Raven turned around to look, curious as well. Her brow dropped in a frown as she saw the Manson's walking into the room, faces hard-set. Sam and her friends trailed behind, eyes wide with concern and hints of fear.

She sensed the determination in the married couple, shadowing the fear and anger mixed inside their minds. The others were worried, slightly afraid (for the Manson's, Raven guessed seeing as it wasn't fear for own sake) but mostly sad.

The latter emotion didn't sit well with her, but she put that aside for now.

"Look, Miss… Raven." Pamela started with a voice that was on the borderline of scolding yet polite. She didn't even notice that the other Titans are still on screen. "We… Understand that things might be a bit difficult for you right now. So, if you don't mind we'd like to get back home so we don't miss out on any important business."

"And we'd like for Sam to come with us." Jeremy finished, eyes stern and hard, voice cracking slightly and revealing the underlined anger he was giving off.

Raven her eyes only widened slightly, not showing the inner turmoil and emotion (mostly anger, though) at hearing that she might be separated from her daughter so quickly after seeing her little girl again. Her mouth flattened in a thin line. The cloaked woman ignored the small gasps coming from the people on the screen behind her. She had a very good retort already on her tongue.

"And does Sam agree?"

The question in itself was simple, but the implications behind it made Pamela stiffen and Jeremy curse under his breath. Both turn behind them, only slightly startled with the fact that their daughter and her friends are in the room as well. Seems like they've had their fair share of surprises at this point.

Sam was staring at her adopted parents with an unreadable expression. Tucker and Danny seemed close to appalled that the Manson's were really intending to leave with Sam without asking the goth-girl herself. The unfairness alone, but the fact that her own parents, or supposed parents, even could think something like that! It made the entire situation all the more unappealing.

Raven focused on her daughter, tapping slightly into her powers to try and get a better read of Sam's emotions. The teenage girl was having an inner battle with herself, emotions waring it out in dominance. Sadness, fear, anger, exasperation, disbelieve,…

Finally it seemed to settle on a specific emotion, and it made the cloaked Titan instinctively flinch. Sam is feeling an emotion she's made peace with herself years ago, but could still be dangerous nonetheless when left uncontrolled. Especially in a hormonal teenage girl, and even more so with her own daughter. An emotion that could tear apart almost anything.

Rage.

"_Excuse me_?!"

The angry cry made her friends jump back a little into the open doorway, eyes wide at the sudden outburst of pure rage from their normally calm and collected friend. Not even Sam would ever become so angry that every barrier she ever created just up and got thrown out of the window! That in itself should have been a warning to the Manson's, but they stubbornly stayed put, faced hard with only a hint of fear, registered by Raven.

"Are you telling me, that you _really thought_ you could just leave and take me with you, _without my consent_?!_ Are you insane_?! I have no intention of leaving! Not until I get the answers I want!"

"But you already have them, Sammikins!" Pamela argued pointlessly, only further provoking her adopted daughter, if unknowingly.

"No! I don't! And here's _why_! I haven't met _my dad_ yet! I still don't know why I ended up being adopted! And I still don't understand why you never told me the truth!" Sam listed off, with each point going further down the steps leading into the seating area, closer to the Manson's.

Raven her powers tensed, the sudden force of anger, rage and pure loathing coming from her daughter causing her entire form to go rigid as a board. This isn't good. Whatever remained of the protection-spell she had put on Sam when she was still a little girl can't hold back all of this emotion, all of this power! She wanted to do something, but the entire situation had the pale woman stuck to the ground. The Titans on screen simply stared at the display in disbelief.

"Just because you raised me doesn't mean you control me! Just because I've been calling you 'mom' and 'dad' for as long as I remember doesn't make you my real parents! _Just because I'm not yet eighteen doesn't mean I can't make my own choices_! You don't have the right to decide for me!"

Sam was on a roll, that much Danny could admit. Every point she was stating is something the goth-girl has been struggling with ever since the first day she decided to become more independent from her parents. Things that haven't _ever_ been resolved. Arguments she's been having with her parents ever since they became unapproving of their daughter's lifestyle and choices. It all boiled over.

"But, Sammy! You can't seriously want to stay here!" Jeremy argued, waving his hand across the entire room they're in, but meaning the whole tower. "This isn't your home!"

Sam halted for a moment, eyes wide as she turned to face her adopted father. For a moment she seemed to cool down, but then her eyes hardened and the fire burning behind those purple iris' grew in intensity a thousand fold.

Her left-eye twitched.

All hell broke loose.

"HOME?!"

Her shout reverberated through the entire tower. Danny and Tucker had been in time to cover their ears, having foreseen Sam losing control right before it happened. The Manson's are less fortunate, ears covered but ringing because they were too late.

Raven wasn't fazed as much by the shout itself (Cyborg's cannon's pack more of a punch) than the pure emotion following said yell.

"You really think I call that stupid mansion home?! I've spent more time in my room than the rest of the damn house! I've spent more time hanging out with my friends at their places! I've spent half my life with my friends, Danny and Tucker, _than with the two of you_! I have more of family with the Fentons that with _you_!"

"Samantha!"

"NO! Enough! I've had it! It's just, _just_... _**Enough**_**!**"

_Crash!_

Silence suddenly filled the room.

Their eyes were wide, staring, the entire argument from just a moment ago all but forgotten. The sight in front of them all left each and every one speechless. Raven was the first to recover, being a lot more used to what just happened than anyone else in the room. She tried to move but found herself pinned to the floor by the sudden sinking feeling that radiated from her daughter.

All Sam could do was stare, unblinkingly, at the lamp that had been standing on the dining table, now lying in pieces on the floor.

And the black aura glowing around her outstretched hand.

It had been an unconscious act, to lash out. Her eyes had been closed, she hadn't seen where she was flinging her arms at in the heat of the moment!

But the fact that _her_ hand -dark, _glowing_ hand- is pointed right at where the lamp had been mere seconds ago was undisputable.

"…Sam?"

Tucker's hesitant call snapped the goth from her dazed state. Slowly she turned to her friends, and Danny's breathe hitched in his throat when he saw the look in her eyes.

A single drop fell upon the floor, and was quickly followed by a flash of light coming from the doorway.

Danny swooped down and took Sam into his arms bridal style before disappearing into the ceiling, leaving the stunned Manson's and slowly recovering techno-geek behind. Raven looked at the spot where the half-ghost vanished with her daughter, heaving a deep sigh before turning to the screen where the equally stunned Titans East were pinned down at their seats. She put her finger on the 'end call' button.

"I'll call you guys later."

And the screen went black.

* * *

Danny saw it before he even reacted.

After being friends with Sam ever since first grade, ever since kindergarten honestly, he became a sort of expert on how to read the goth-girl.

(Didn't stop his cluelessness about her feelings to him, but still.)

When he saw that lone tear fall, he also saw the look in her eyes. The pure lost look she held, as if her whole world was falling apart. It is true, too. Her world is falling apart. Only last week they were laughing at jokes, having fun and fighting ghosts. Now, Sam has discovered that her whole life is based on lies, on a lack of trust. Her parents, the Manson's, no longer her real family. People, pure _strangers_, suddenly more connected than anything else. And powers she never knew of, never learned _how to control_ or use or anything of the sort, free.

And active. Very much active.

He held her close, eyes held shut. He didn't have to open them to know what's going on, although it honestly confused him. Yet in another sense he also understood how she felt. A strong wind lapped at their surroundings, turning in a twister around the couple that was a mixture of air and black energy. He felt the way Sam was shaking, and even with his eyes closed he could sense the powerful aura of pure energy and _emotion_ around her, strong and unbidding and chaotic.

Everything went down to hell today, all the way into the Ghost Zone.

Her tears soaked the chest of his suit, her hands clutching him as a lifeline. Sobs wracked her form as her emotions whirled around in her head, unable to settle or calm down. She tried to focus on a feeling, an emotion, _anything_. She tried to focus on the feeling of Danny holding her, soothing her, mumbling soft nothings in her ear as she tried her damn best to get herself together. But all the goth could think of was that moment. That moment everything just came crashing down on her, without any sort of comfort or support.

Neither noticed the hand reaching out, landing softly on their touching shoulders. For a moment it seemed like everything froze, and then the wind fell and their emotions calmed and everything became quiet.

"Sam?"

She lifted her head enough to look in the direction of the voice, joined by Danny. She didn't dare let go, afraid of another outburst of emotion if she did. Her eyes were puffy and red from the crying, streaks mixing with her fading makeup.

Raven stood with a hand on their joined shoulders, glowing softly with a gentle aura, a white one. It felt soothing, soft and caring. A reflection of the emotions the older woman felt at that moment. She offered her daughter a small smile filled with love, showing that she's there for her. For them. She already could tell that Sam and Danny are a package deal, not much to do about that but let it flow.

"Calmed down?" She asked softly, leaning in a little. Sam jerked her head in a nod, swallowing to try and fight back a final wave of tears. Danny moved to leave but she clutched onto his arms, pulling him back. He only gave an understanding smile before letting her snuggle into him, her eyes still looking at her mother but thoughts solely focused on Danny and the strong hold he has on his favorite goth.

"I'm sorry…" Sam said softly, almost inaudible. The two heroes caught it, though, and understood what she meant. Raven shook her head with a fond look and squeezed Sam's shoulder. Danny rubbed his cheek against her hair, comforting her. She breathed in for a moment, letting her thoughts stray to Danny's scent. It helped sooth her nerves a little and the goth managed to shuffle in his hold so she was pointed more towards her mother. Raven smiled at the sight, but she didn't let go, instead slowly letting her power fade and allow the two teens to gently come down from their emotional high.

"Your room is down the hall from mine and Garfield's. If you need a moment…" The Titan offered softly. She always went to her room whenever she struggled with her emotions. Maybe it'll help with Sam too.

Sam looked to Danny with the question shining in her eyes, almost begging him. He only offered her a gentle nod before letting his powers wash over her, causing them both to start floating from the roof of the tower. Danny looked at Raven, offered her a look that conveyed what he's thinking. He'll take care of her, he promises. Raven gave a subtle nod down after letting their shoulder go, and he gave an understanding one back before the duo sunk down and disappeared back into the tower.

Raven sighed, closing her eyes for a moment and letting her powers radiate a little. A burst of wind left her form before she sighed, relieved with letting some of the tension go. She straightened up and returned her mask of indifference, vanishing into a pool of darkness that appeared under her.

She has two adults to lecture. And a daughter's friend to calm down.

* * *

Finding Sam's room wasn't hard. Right across the room labeled 'Raven-Beast Boy' they found another room labeled 'Samantha'. Sam didn't even protest about the fact her full name is on the door, all she did was push the door open. Danny stopped at the edge of the door, letting his girlfriend take everything in first before stepping inside. She needs the moment to let it sink in.

For Sam it felt like she walked right into a memory.

The room in itself looked like it had been left behind to the touch of time. Dust covered everything, the wallpaper on the wall was starting to peel on a few spots. The wooden floor creaked a little from age as she took her steps. The window was covered in dirt and dust from age and no cleaning.

On one end of the room was a closet. The three-set doors had stickers stuck around the bottom, a little grayed out from age and the sun always shining inside. They ranged from animals, silly items like brushes and paint to a cartoonish smiling sun and clouds. Directly opposite of the door is the large, dirty window right now letting the light of the midday sun shine inside the room, giving an amazing view of the large bridge crossing the bay. Opposite of the closet and a little tucked away in the corner is a bed fitting for a child, decorated with animals and themed to resemble a jungle, all green and bright and cheery. Sam could easily picture herself, younger and full of life, jumping in her bed with a wide smile.

The floor, covered in dust and an old carpet across a large portion, was empty until you reached a part where a chest stood, decorated with a somewhat gloomier color of gray and shaped like a gothic castle, overgrown with vines painted on. Around the chest lied an assortment of random toys, a lot of them animals of different kinds and even a few action-figures of the Teen Titans. Sam already could tell that her real parents always wanted her to be her own person, unlike the Manson's, who practically pushed their ideals and desires on her.

'_How didn't I see it?'_ She thought softly, a hand going over the head of her old bed, memories of many nights spent sleeping here slowly returning to her. _'How didn't I see that everything my adopted parents did was a constant reminder I never was their daughter? It's so obvious now!'_

She continued on, taking in every detail. So familiar. So much she forgot over the years. Why didn't she ever remember? Was what had happened _so bad_, she forgot her real parents over time? There is still so much she can't remember, not like she's expecting to. Even the memories she's getting back are vague, filled with outlines and fuzzy images, but the feelings and emotions are _so clear_ she could almost feel them, right now.

She stopped when a squeak caught her ears. She looked down at the toy she stepped on, gingerly picking it up from the ground and taking a closer look. It was a squeaky toy that resembled a woman with pink hair and feelers, dressed in a straight-lined outfit.

A memory popped in her head. A vague image, a fuzzy face, a feeling of family. _A name_.

"Kole."

She tested the name on her tongue, the strange familiarity almost unnerving. It felt foreign, yet something she once could have said, a long time ago. She tried it a few more times, and soon found herself mumbling the name almost like a mantra.

"Sam?"

She looked up, showing no sign of surprise other than the way her hand cluthed the toy a little harder, seeing that Danny was still at the opening of the door. She motioned him to get in after recovering from the start and he complied, joining the goth's side.

"I remember." She said, soft and fragile, as if talking alone could shatter the moment she is in, that all of a sudden all those memories would just... Disappear. "She always visited, I remember that. Her name is Kole. She… She's an Honorary Titan, lives all the way up in the North Pole. I… I loved her, like family. Like an aunt."

She leaned against his side, Danny placing a hand on her back and making small circles. She sighed despondently, relaxing against him, hand never letting go of the toy. A single, lone tear fell down her face.

"I miss her. I miss them. I didn't even remember them all until now, yet I already miss them again. It's like… This switch that was once turned off, just, finally turned on again."

Danny placed a soft kiss on her forehead, tucking away a stray lock of hair before caressing her cheek tenderly. She snuggled a little closer, a hand resting on his chest. "But I don't understand. How can I miss someone I didn't remember, Danny?"

"You were young, only three years old, Sam." Danny uttered softly, not stopping in his ministrations to help Sam go through the emotional ride in her mind. "You lost your parents, got separated from everyone you knew, there was no one there to comfort you. I wouldn't be surprised if you just… Locked everything up because you couldn't handle the pain. The way it made you feel. Many kids at that age tend to do that when going through a traumatic experience."

"And how do you know?" She countered with barely any heat behind it, but still with a fierceness in her eyes. They widened a little when Danny simply arched an eyebrow, and she sighed again, slumping a bit more in his hold, remembering that moment and the guilt that followed almost automatically. "Sorry. Right. Portal. You don't... Remember exactly what happened."

"Yeah…" He sighed out, closing his eyes. The teen boy hardly remembers what made him a half-ghost those few years ago. Only flashes, disjointed images and fuzzy faces, but not much else. The pain is the one thing he remembers the best, the way it burned like liquid fire through his veins, as if trying to boil him alive and turn his skin to dust. Nothing would ever compare to that faithful day.

They stayed like that, relishing in the other's presence whilst letting all the happenings of the past two days pass over them.

* * *

When Raven appeared back into the Op-Center she was surprised to see Tucker pacing around the two adults, in the middle of a rant.

"-And you just up and try to _drag her back_! Sam's been going through a lot ever since she found out, and now you're planning to take her back?! I know that you think of her like a daughter, or at least claim to, but that was just too cruel! As her friend, of course I wouldn't mind if Sam comes back to Amity Park! But as her _best friend_, I'm actually _willing to listen_ to what she has to say!"

"Tucker."

"What?!" He yelled, turning on his heels and facing the cloaked Titan with such a fierce and protective look in his eyes that it made even Raven pause for a moment. She pulled through, though, and simply leveled him with a deadpan stare. His entire posture sagged after a moment of echanging looks, the exhaustion from an emotion-driven rant finally catching up with him. He offered her a sheepish half-grin. "Ah, sorry, miss Roth."

"Call me Raven." She said softly, offering him a small quirk of her lips that he noticed, grin widening just that tiny bit, but his emotions leveling out before her eyes and senses. Good. He deserves some rest after the way he grilled the married couple. "Sam and Danny went to her room. I think Cyborg left a few sodas in the fridge. Mind bringing them something to drink?"

Tucker his eyes flickered between Raven and the Manson's for a split-second before he nodded, catching on. He went into the kitchen and gathered three sodas from the fridge like Raven said. He checked a cabinet where he saw some granola bars earlier and took a few as well before leaving the room to look for his best friends.

A tense silence hovered in the air, thick and pushing hard on any emotion. Raven stared the two adults before her down, this time not hiding the way she feels about them and their actions. She held a tight rope on her powers, though, not wanting to have to tell Sam what happened to her adopted parents. Although she's starting to second-guess their position in raising her daughter. No parent, adopted or otherwise, should have to face such rage from their child.

That's a definite sign of bad parentage.

"I'm not going to start an argument." Raven finally spoke up, catching the two adults off-guard and making them jump a little. She held back a smirk at knowing she still has it in her to scare two full-grown adults. "There's simply nothing to argue about. You, by a series of unfortunate events, ended up adopting my daughter. Now that I am back, there is no reason for you to 'keep' her. She is her own person, and can decide _by herself_ who to choose."

"And what makes you think she'll choose you?" Pamela dared speak up, taking a step forwards, looking like she's being held back by her husband. The shaking of their arms and the waves of fear pooling off them, though, proofed of only false bravery. Raven wanted nothing more but to send these two into another dimension.

"Because unlike you, I will let Sam make her own choices in life. Not push my image upon her." The goth countered, sending a deadly glare their way. They flinched back a little but Jeremy's wife still opened her mouth to argue. God, she really doesn't like these two, especially that woman. Are they really that bad at understanding a teenager? A teenager whose only reason for being so angry is because she was being denied the freedom she craves, that she needs? Isn't that something a parent should know? She knows more than well enough, having been there, done that.

"_Enough_." She cut off firmly before Pamela could utter another retort. Raven huffed, running a hand across her face in frustration before offering the Manson's a deadpan glare that could freeze water, it was just _that cold_. "Leave. Get out before I end up flattening you. I've had enough of this. We are all tired of the day, we'll discuss this tomorrow."

And before they could even argue she disappeared in a veil of darkness, leaving the two frazzled adults staring at empty air. Afraid. Anxious. Angry.

And above all, uncertain.

* * *

Evening crawled upon them like a bug, unwanted yet necessary in life. The sun slowly dipped into the distant horizon, coloring the sunset sky in hues of different colors, beautiful and relaxing.

And relaxing it is.

Danny sighed after taking another cleansing breath. He allowed the tension in his arms to fall, resting in the cradle his legs form in their crossed position. A soft breeze tickled his snow-white hair, flowing silently around the halfa as he floated softly above the rooftop of Titans Tower, meditating. He left Sam with Tucker after they had their drink. After that they went and cleaned up the pizza and sodas from earlier, and now he's trying to let all the emotions from the day flow out.

Meditation is something he picked up along the line of fighting ghosts. A suggestion from Jazz after he conceded to her about his sudden lack of patience and shortened fuse. Before everything that happened with _Him_, Danny never really payed much heed to the things around him. Although still scarred from his encounter with Spectra and her poisonous words, he hadn't let them get to him.

But then all the events from the only day he ever faced the chance of losing everyone he loved happened, and things… Changed. Suddenly those words his enemies spoke mattered. Suddenly he _wanted_ people to care, for them to acknowledge him. His secret became a burden, he worried more for his friends than ever before. Stress, anxiety and fear, mixed in with anger for the way the ghosts belittled him, hated him. It all started boiling over, leaving him with a short fuse and a bomb the size of a building waiting to explode in his mind.

After he told his sister all of this, she supplied him with a myriad of ways to control his temper, to prevent outbursts. Many came and went, some faster than others. And then she suggested mediation, and that one stuck. It became a secret past-time for him. To go up to the rooftop of their house and meditate. Sometimes when his parents were out hunting he would sneak into Jazz's room and meditate there. It held a kind of safe aura that eased him immensely. Especially when his redheaded sister was there as well, watching over him with that caring smile that told him just how much they've grown closer again. Even more than they were before the incident.

He would never dare tell her, Fenton pride and everything, but Danny was fairly sure that Jazz would make for an amazing psychologist. As annoying it sometimes might be to have his sister psycho-analyze him, it also helps. With his anger-issues, his stress, a lot of the troubles of being a hero fighting ghosts who also struggles with his own thoughts.

He was so deep into his thoughts and reminiscence of everything he's been going through, that Danny didn't notice the blast until it was too late.

* * *

**And that is a wrap! Alright, only a final thing left to say, really. I'm tired, this chapter is coming out at the time I'm supposed to be in bed, but I still want to finish with sayong that I am still looking for a beta-reader for future stories!**

**And with that done: Remember to review, fav and follow! Have a nice day everyone!**


	7. Ch 6: Reunion

**Welcome back!**

**That's both for me and you. Man, I haven't uploaded on here in, what, months? Things have been horribly busy back home, what with me changing college in the middle of the year, then our yard gets dug up, and now the Corona Crisis? Something you guys and gals might not know, but I live in Belgium, and we've been practically grounded in our homes by the government. Crazy, right?**

**Anyways, at least that means more time for me to work on my stories! I do hope you'll enjoy this chapter. We're getting closer to the end of the first Arc, people!**

**Enjoy, and I'll catch you later.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans or Danny Phantom. Both parties belong to their respective creators!**

* * *

Danny managed to catch himself before he fell over the edge of the building, flipping mid-air and sending a blind blast towards the source of the one that knocked him out of his meditation and his thoughts.

It missed the dark figure in the evening light, standing on the rooftop of the tower. A sound like that of a horn followed, and a wave of sound was send into the halfa's direction. Danny yelped as he narrowly dodged before sending a series of blasts into the mysterious figure's direction.

Out of the ones he fired, a few hit and send the person flying across the rooftop before sliding to a stop near the edge. An item was flung from his hands, bounced around before stopping at the entrance of the rooftop.

Danny flew over, hand glowing, blazing with green fire. He landed with his feet planted at either side of the figure, hand aimed point-blank at the spot where their heart would be.

With the light from the blast charged in his hand, the teen finally got a clear view of the person who had attacked him.

It was a brown-skinned man, wearing a decorated blue cape and hood, a silver mask hiding his identity. His blue suit had the symbol of a horn printed on in silver, silver lines adorning the sides. The man grit his teeth, sending a fist clad in silver padded gloves in Danny's direction. Danny dodged to the side, but a kick in his stomach send the halfa off-balance, stepping away with a grimace and allowing the other guy to get back up.

With a cry the man ran up, a fist already set. Danny growled in the back of his throat, his own fists blazing with energy.

Before either side could strike, though, a black barrier appeared between the two. The man's fist impacted, but it did nothing besides causing him to flinch and shake his hand with a muttered curse. Danny managed to stop before his attack would connected, stumbling back a little because of the surprise.

Raven walked out from the open door of the rooftop access, a silver trumpet in her hand. She sighed, shaking her head, before offering the item to the brown-skinned man.

"It's alright, Herald. He's with me."

"_Raven_?" The man – Herald – asked with a shocked look, accepting his trumpet nonetheless. He turned to the halfa looking between the two, both now breathing heavily and with a frown on their faces.

"You know this guy, Raven?" Danny asked, motioning to Herald. The barrier between the two went down once Raven made sure that neither are going to attack each other.

"I do, Danny. This is Herald, he's an Honorary Titan and I contacted him to help me with our 'problem'. I didn't think he'd be here so soon, though." Raven explained, assuring Danny that nothing is wrong. The teenage boy gave Herald a squinted look before huffing a breath, conceding. Herald chuckled at the kid's acting, walking up to him and offering a hand.

"The name's Herald, but Raven already said that. You're Danny, right?"

Danny accepted the handshake, frown softened but not lifting just yet. He didn't trust the guy who decided to shoot him without any seeming reason. "Yeah, Danny Phantom."

Herald blinked, eyes widened before he busted out a laugh. At the questioning looks from the two he wiped away a tear in his eye before explaining. "_The_ Danny Phantom? I heard of you, man! Guy who saved the world! Sorry I didn't recognize you!"

Danny's frowned lifted after that, a smirk slowly appearing on his face. _'Alright, maybe he isn't so bad as I though__t__.'_ "Really? I would have thought it's pretty obvious, with the logo and all." He motioned to the DP on his chest.

"Sorry. I _heard_ of you, I've just never _seen_ you. You're… A lot younger than I previously thought. Didn't think they were being serious about the whole 'teenage hero' stuff in the tabloids."

The halfa shrugged, undeterred. It isn't the first time people are surprised with his age. He's only sixteen and already saved the world once. That doesn't happen very often. _'Weren't the Titans the first teen heroes back in the day, though? Maybe that's why Raven wasn't surprised when I revealed myself.'_

"Let's go before the others wake up and start getting worried." Raven stated, heading towards the access. Danny nodded and followed after, Herald last and the one to close the door. As they walked down the stairs leading towards the hall, Herald couldn't help the questions.

"So, why _do_ you need me? Nothing against you, Raven, but I wouldn't think there's much you'd need my help for. And how come you've been missing for the past thirteen years?!"

Raven sighed, brushing her hair a little, anything to keep herself grounded. It's late, and she hasn't had the time yet to meditate, the moment she felt Danny's emotions shift from calm to surprised she'd gone up to the roof so she could see what was going on, what could have caught the half-ghost boy off-guard like that.

"I need your help to access the dimension where we were trapped in. I managed to get out by pure luck, but I need someone who knows how to do this stuff to be able to get the others out."

"And why's he here?" Herald asked, pointing at Danny. The halfa frowned, giving a gesture that translated into 'what am I, chopped liver?', but otherwise stayed silent. He wasn't sure how much Raven is willing to share with the Honorary Titan. Who even is aware that she has a daughter?

"He's friends with Sam."

The horn-playing hero had to do a double-take at that before turning his bewildered gaze towards the teen. "You're friends with Raven's daughter? No one knew what even happened to her! I mean, after we found out that she was with the Titans East, well, everyone thought it'd simply be a game of waiting to see how long the main-team would be gone, but… When news spread that Samantha went missing, things spiraled down quickly."

"We didn't know anything after that. For the past thirteen years, we've just been doing our own thing. It's kind of the reason why no one acted when that Disasteroid thing appeared, you know. We didn't have anyone to lead us! Normally it'd be Nigthwing, but by then everyone had kind of accepted that you weren't coming back this time around." Herald finished with a sigh as they stepped into the OP-Center, joining Raven in sitting on the couch. Danny moved so he was floating in front of them, legs crossed and leaning back like he was relaxing on a lounger.

"I figured as much. I'm… Sorry it took so long. For us it was only a few years, I never could have imagined that a whole decade had gone by for you guys, more even." Raven admitted softly, sighing and slumping a bit in her spot. Herald gave her a sympathetic look. It isn't often Raven is so open with her feelings, but he guesses that things have been hectic ever since the empath returned.

"I get it, man. So, what's the plan? We're doing this thing now or…" He trailed off, tossing his hand in the air to show he isn't exactly sure what to do. Sure, he can make portals into other dimensions, but without something to ground him or a hint as to where the other Titans are, there isn't much he can do besides blindly opening portals and hoping for the best.

Raven shook her head. "No, we'll do it tomorrow. It's late, and I rather get some sleep before we give this a try." She explained, pointing out the obvious whilst adding her own reason. Herald nodded, only now noticing that Raven looked beat for the day. He got up and gave a wave at the two before heading towards the spare bedrooms. Raven quickly directed him to the one not occupied right now by Tucker (or where the Manson's are sleeping, seeing as Danny couldn't bring them back to Amity), Danny's friend and Sam's second best friend. Herald didn't ask further and left with the doors closing behind him, leaving Raven and Danny alone in the large room.

Danny floated down so he was standing, a soft look in his eyes that grew a little when Raven yawned. He had read a few things about the goth, and one of those is that she doesn't show much emotion, as is her image. He didn't have to be a genius to guess that her acting right now is a bit out-of-character, prove of just how exhausting everything has been for the heroine.

"I know I'm not really one to complain, seeing as I hardly get four hours of sleep back home, but maybe it's time to get some rest?" He proposed with a shrug and a well-hidden grin. Raven nodded as she got up, stifling another yawn and rubbing her eyes lightly.

"Perhaps that isn't a bad idea."

And so, for the rest of that night, a large part of Titans Tower experienced how it's like to be lived in again, after thirteen years of standing abandoned.

* * *

Morning came almost unexpectedly, those who aren't true morning people groaning in their beds. Danny had to physically pull Sam out of her rough bed made of cushions and blankets in her old room, seeing as the bed standing in it is made for kids and she's outgrown it by a longshot. Tucker laughed at the way the young goth's hair was stuck in all different ways, and he payed for it when he received a kick in the shin that left a mark, courtesy of Sam's steel-tipped combat boots. The Manson's were left in their room with something to eat, told to wait by Raven. No one wanted them around during the big moment.

"Nothing, and I mean nothing, about my hair." Sam threatened with a hiss before leaving towards where her mom told her the bathrooms are. Danny snickered at his best friend as he flipped another pancake onto an already good-sized stack. When they had asked Raven to cook Herald had quickly intervened, revealing that the cloaked Titan can't cook even if her life depended on it.

"I can make tea." Raven protested with a huff when the masked hero stated as much, placing her cup down so she could cast the horn-wielding hero a burning look.

"Tea isn't exactly cooking…" Tucker stated off-handedly, trailing off when he noticed the way Raven's eyes flashed white. He yelped when the stool he was sitting on suddenly collapsed into itself. Danny looked over the counter at the stunned techno-geek with a chuckle.

"Now we know where Sam gets it from."

He merely blinked when Sam (hair fixed and face refreshed) passed him, giving him an uphanded slap on his head. She stared at him for a moment, expecting a reaction, and ended up walking towards the water-boiler with a huff when all she got was a sheepish grin. _'Damn! I can't threaten Danny the way I used to! Stupid powers sometimes.'_

Herald blinked at the trio their interactions and turned to Raven with a questioning look. She shrugged, her eyes conveying the message of 'don't look at me' clearly. She simply sipped her tea, ignoring the banter going on between the two teen boys.

After having a filling breakfast, courtesy to Danny's incredible cooking skills, everyone followed after Raven as she left towards the elevator. They tried to get in together, but in the end Danny was the only one left standing outside. He frowned and looked across the space of the elevator before shrugging and phasing into the floor, disappearing. Raven blinked, a bit surprised, as she watched the spot where the halfa disappeared.

Sam rolled her eyes at her boyfriend's antics and pressed the button to the ground floor, doors closing before the elevator descended downwards.

No one was surprised that, once there, Danny was already waiting at the exit with a grin. Sam flipped him the finger as she passed him, the first to head outside. Tucker grinned back before following, leaving the two adult heroes to stare questioningly at Danny.

He shrugged, undeterred at his girlfriend's reaction. "She does that all the time when she's in a mood. You learn to live with it."

Raven rolled her eyes fondly. Honestly, although surprised at what her daughter did, she couldn't exactly start complaining. She still remembers her own time as a teenager, cursing whenever possible and not unperturbed to doing some foul gestures whenever she felt like it. Doesn't mean she was cold and spiteful, that was just the way her moods worked. _'Guess Sam did inherit a few of my old mannerisms.'_

Once outside, Raven started marking out a circle with a stone she chipped from a nearby boulder with her powers, the large rock was one that Cyborg sometimes used during outside training. He wouldn't mind. Once the circle was done she walked to one side, Herald going to another, but leaving the other side of the circle opposite of Raven clear.

The cloaked Titan put her hood up, her eyes lighting up in an eerie glow. She stretched her hands out and started muttering incantations under her breath. Darkness started swirling around her hands and arms, a spark starting to flash in the center of the circle.

"Azarath. Metrion. Zinthos… Azarath. Metrion. Zinthos…"

It changed from a spark into something akin to a rip in the air after a moment, unfathomable colors shining inside and beyond. Herald nodded at it with approval, face set in a serious line. He took his horn and started playing, a few waves forming in front before channeling towards the dimensional rip.

With a flash and a loud bang, the rip suddenly expanded into a large, circular hole in space, beyond it a forested world veiled in an eerie blood-red shadow, sky dark and empty beyond a few grayish clouds. Danny, Tucker and Sam gasped at the sight, and a shiver ran down their spines at the unsettling feeling that grim place gave them.

Raven scowled at seeing the world she was locked up in for all that time, once more. Still, she walked towards it and took a step inside before exchanging a glance with Herald to see how he's holding. He offered her a grin past his horn and a thumbs up, showing that he's able to keep this up for as long as she needs.

Raven took a breath, muttered, "Here we go." under her breath, and then walked inside fully. She floated up after surveying the surroundings, disappearing out of the four their sights.

A few moments passed, an uneasy silence hovering over the trio whilst Herald focused on keeping the portal open. After a few more terse moments, sounds started coming through. Danny frowned and approached a bit, glancing further inside. His eyes widened as he noticed a dust cloud way past the trees all around.

All of a sudden five figures appeared form the cloud, followed swiftly by what could only be explained to look like a mix between mammoths and gorilla's with red spikes sticking out of their back. Raven was up front, flying swiftly past the trees but keeping an eye on the four following after her in a life-depending sprint. She shouted something at them and pointed at the portal ahead.

Danny charged an ecto-blast in his hands, eyes narrowing as he watched their quick approach. Raven was first through, quickly followed by the four others. As soon as they left the portal Herald stopped playing, but just before it closed Danny send a blast inside, colliding with the hurdle of beasts and stopping them from reaching the closing portal. It snapped close with a blinding flash and a bang that rattled the air for a good half-minute.

Raven landed on the ground and quickly did a scan to see if everyone got through. She gave a startled yelp when a pair of strong, green arms wrapped around her and lifted the goth from the ground.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you! You're the best, Raven!"

Raven felt a trickle of sweat go down her face at the embarrassing act. She awkwardly patted her husband's head before he put her down.

Tucker stared, mouth gaping, as his mind slowly came to terms with the fact that the famous Titans are standing right in front of him. All of them!

Cyborg looked to be working a kink out of his shoulder, a wide grin on his face as he gazed around the island. The bulky hero took in a deep breath and let it out with pure relief, a weight lifting off his chest. A single tear fell from his human eye as he took in the rising sun.

Nightwing was trying to get Starfire to let go of him so he can breathe, the Tamaranean princess hugging her husband tightly whilst doing spins mid-air. Both couldn't help their overjoyed laughter, though, at finally being back home.

Beast Boy (although not a boy by any means) was crying tears of happiness as he held his wife close, peppering her face with kisses and ignoring Raven's protests at getting smothered like that. Despite her protesting at the _very open_ display of affection, Raven couldn't get the small smile on her face wiped off. She's just happy that they're all finally back.

Herald smiled at the heroes whilst shaking his head at their antics, glad to finally see all of them back and together. Thirteen years of waiting have payed off, in the end.

Whilst all of this was going on, Danny had left the returned heroes in order to find Sam, who he had noticed was suddenly missing. He smiled softly when he found her in the large entrance room of the tower, sitting on a couch and looking through the open doors. She looked up at him and then away, trying to hide her expression. Danny simply stepped to the side and crouched so he could see her face.

Tears were brimming in her eyes, but a fearful, uncertain look dominated the rest. She sniffed and quickly wiped her eyes, trying to put up a brave face and failing miserably.

"Hey. Standard question: You okay?" He asked softly as the halfa sat down next to his girlfriend, putting an arm around her and giving the goth a reassuring squeeze and a kiss on her head.

"I… I… T-that's my dad, Danny. M-my real dad! And I-I know that I said I w-wanted to see him again, but… I… I'm scared. What if he doesn't recognize me? W-what if… If…"

If it was even possible, Danny's smile softened even more as he pulled Sam into his arms, giving his closest friend and love a tender kiss on the lips, silencing her stuttering. They touched forehead's after separating, Danny rubbing Sam's arms whilst hushing, gently helping the goth come down back to earth for a moment.

Once Sam calmed down enough to no longer stutter she offered Danny a small smile before pulling out of his arms and getting back up. She looked at where the team of heroes are still celebrating and gulped. The goth tried to move, but for some reason it felt like her feet were pinned down.

Danny chuckled softly as he noticed Sam's hesitance and stood up. He took her by the hand and gently pulled the goth along and back outside. When they reached the door the two watched the scene for a bit longer before Danny gave Sam a nudge, squeezing her hand in reassurance before letting go as she slowly walked down the steps.

Sam took a deep breath in, forcing the mess of emotions in her head to cool down. She didn't want a repeat from yesterday. Breathing out, she felt calm enough, and looked back up before regarding her mother.

"Mom?"

Raven, who finally had forced her husband to let go using her powers and give her some personal space, was the first to turn at the call, quickly followed by Beast Boy. He blinked, taking notice of the young teenage girl standing at the steps going to Titans Tower. For a moment the gears in his head processed the scene and the call, why Raven reacted and why she was smiling so lovingly at the girl. The hair, the eyes, the girl's way of clothing…

When it clicked, tears started gathering in Beast Boy's eyes again, the bottom of his lip beginning to tremble just like his legs. Slowly, as if scared that this is nothing but a dream, the changeling took a step forwards. Sam looked up from the ground when she noticed, her violet eyes meeting watery green ones, and her smile turned softer, a bit weaker and also a bit fearful. How could he react? She doesn't know, and that honestly scared her. Not only because she really hopes he will recognize her, but also because of the fact that she doesn't know how her own dad would react!

She never, not in a million years, would have expected the gentle hug, nor for the man holding her to let out a whine like that of a dog. Tears were falling, but neither could tell from who as Beast Boy put his chin on top of the girl – his daughter – her head.

"…Sam?"

Sam didn't even realize that a small hiccup had worked its way into her throat, her own arms slowly wrapping around the man – her father – as the goth buries her face in his chest, hiding the tears flowing whilst nodding profusely.

"H-hey, Dad."

Beast Boy let out a breathy laugh as his grip tightened, his heart doing leaps in the air. He's right! It is her! Sam! He's got his daughter back!

"Sam. Sam! O-oh! Y-you're here! S-Sam! M-my little angel!"

Starfire was the first to realize what was going on when she noticed their green-skinned teammate crying and laughing whilst hugging a teenager. A gasp escaped her mouth, hands flying to cover it and subsequently dropping Nightwing on his ass. She turned to Raven, only managing to point at the duo holding each other tight, throat not working past the lump that had formed. Raven nodded her head softly before looking back at her husband and their daughter, reunited at last. Starfire squealed, joyfull tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Is that… Samantha?" Nightwing asked softly after recovering from the drop, head swiveling between the cloaked titan and the hysterically crying duo, his eyes blinking in disbelief. A wide grin slowly appeared on the team-leader's face and his hand ran through his hair, as the leader of the Titans tried to grasp what the hell is going on. Could it really be?

Neither of the two that were busy crying up a storm cared that they were being watched. Sam _didn't care_ that she was positively going outside of her comfort-zone! She was just too happy to be reunited with her family, at last, after finding out already half a week ago!

And all Beast Boy cared about at that moment was that he's got his little girl back. He didn't care that she looked to be a teen, or that two other, unknown, teens are looking at them. He didn't care that Raven would use this as blackmail at some point, or that Cyborg might call him names for a week.

He's just happy – overjoyed in fact! – to have his little angel back!

* * *

Not everything was done, though. Far from.

Conversations were held, explanations made. Things were far from finished yet. Nightwing, after thirteen years of absence, has a lot to fix among the Titans scattered around the world. Herald was more than happy to provide transport if needed, but right now he had a job to do. Everyone agreed to leave the bigger issues for later.

Starfire wanted nothing more but to hug everyone and not let go, but she too has things to do. Checking in with her K'norfka for instance, making sure that Tamaran is alright. X'all knows how much Galfore might have missed her! But first the alien princess chose to listen as Raven explained what she had already found out since her return. What had changed.

Cyborg was busy doing system checks as he listened, making sure that Titans Tower is still functional. Basic functions luckily enough were intact, but a few things needed fixing and updating, and he wants to see how the T-car lasted after years of disuse. He was surprised when Tucker asked if the techno-geek could help. Even more so when he saw the kid's PDA, modern and updated and more advanced than the one's he remembers.

Beast Boy occasionally glanced to his side, where Sam was sitting, a mixture of disbelief and pure love in his eyes. His mind wasn't fully with Raven's explanation, still trying to fully grasp the fact that he's back. He's back and his daughter is here, a teen now and even _dating_! He'll have to interrogate the guy later, though.

Family first, after all.

"I still can't believe that thirteen years have passed." Nightwing muttered when Raven paused in her explaining. The team leader glanced out of the OP-center's windows, taking in the familiar sight of Jump City. He never realized how much _this_ mattered until it was all taken away from him… "It's like nothing has changed."

"I'm surprised they haven't." Cyborg added with a shrug. Sam bit her lip, eyes darting between everyone.

"They… Made a monument. To remember you guys." She suddenly blurted out, shrinking in a little when everyone shot her surprised glances. Danny frowned, thinking.

"I think I saw it on the way here."

"A monument?" Nightwing uttered, dumbfound. He looked back, as if hoping to see it from here. There doesn't seem to be anything, but he can't tell with the distance and how busy Jump City is, naturally.

For a moment a deep silence filled the room, no one willing to break it. The full implications of what happened starting to sink in. So much has changed. Do people still remember the Titans? How has Jump City fared after their disappearance? Who of their enemies are still out there?

So many questions...

A ringtone interrupted the moment, startling a few back to reality. A few confused glances were made before Danny held his hand up, the other occupied with his phone. He frowned at the screen before answering.

"Jazz? What's up?"

A few murmurs rounded the room before Sam hissed at them all to be silent. Danny gave her a small nod of appreciation before turning back to the call. Slowly a frown appeared on his face as he listened.

"Are you sure? Can't mom and dad handle it? What about Val? She's got time plenty!"

Concern swirled in his eyes as he listened. Sam got up from her seat, followed by her parents. Beast Boy frowned as he looked between his daughter and her boyfriend. Raven tried to remain stoic, but inside she was just as worried as her daughter.

"I know. But... Yeah?"

Danny started tapping his feet, something both his friends recognized as a bad sign. Tucker walked away from where he'd been talking with Cyborg before the call came in. Sam passed the couch and went to stand within a few meters of her boyfriend, an inkling in her mind that's causing a swirl of emotions to start boiling in her stomach. For a moment she feared she might lose control again, but something - she guesses her mom - intervened and pressed down on the lid before it could burst open.

"Jazz, you know I can't just leave her! I've still got to bring the Manson's back, not to mention Tucker and-"

Danny cut off, swallowing as he spared a quick, uncertain glance towards Sam. What he heard at the other side made his eyes widen and his throat run dry.

"Jazz?"

A few words, but they were enough to silence the boy. At his side his unoccupied hand fisted together to the point his knuckles were turning white.

"I... I..."

And then the finishing line that punched the air out of his lungs. For a moment Danny felt weak to the knees, but he still managed a quick goodbye before ending the call. He stared at the screen for a moment, gaze empty. He nearly jumped when a hand landed on the fist at his side. He glanced over, meeting worried yet somehow knowing violet eyes.

"Danny?" Sam voiced, soft, fragile. In her head she knew what this meant, but she wasn't ready. Wasn't ready yet to accept the inevitable.

"I... I have to go back. T-Technus escaped, Skulker is making Val's life hell right now and other ghosts are causing mayhem! Mom and dad got Technus in the end, b-but people are wondering where I-I am and..." Danny trailed off, voice hitching in his throat. The back of his eyes burned to the point of painful, and the half-ghost was very much aware of all the gazes locked on him, both of them, some confused and others (Tucker) understanding. He wasn't fully surprised that Raven looked neutral, although he could see the burning in her eyes, the way they swirled with unspoken words and emotion.

Beast Boy had noticed too, a hand going to his wife's shoulder. She stilled despite not having moved, blinking as if clearing tears that didn't exist.

She only knew Danny for a total of _two days_, and she's already started to care? She's getting rusty...

At the side, though, he's the one Sam loves. She knows what it feels like, to face something you can't fight that will take away the one you love. She knows all to well...

"Danny. I... I..." Sam couldn't find the words, her voice cracking as she tried to find something to say, something that could make this better.

But, let's be real here. Can anything make this better? She might never see him again, or at least not that often. Jump City and Amity Park aren't close by, and she doesn't think that visits are easy when there isn't any way for a steady schedule. Not when you have heroes for parents and a ghost-hunter as a boyfriend.

What if they... Grow apart?

"I... I have to go." Danny muttered, voice cracking as if he was back to being fourteen and still dealing with newfound powers and a hurdle of trouble ahead of him. Sam called his name as he disappeared into the floor, but he didn't return. Tucker was there when it seemed like she was going to fall to her knees, and her parents were there too, Beast Boy hovering uncertain and Raven struggling to be the mother she needs without risking her control.

Yet, somehow, Sam never felt more alone.

Especially when it felt like something between her and Danny... Cracked.

* * *

**Alright! That's it for today! I'm already working on proof-reading the next chapter before I decide to post it. Don't expect anything quick, though! I don't have an uploading shedule, so... Yeah.**

**This is mostly a hobby of mine, making stories. If you're interested, don't be shy to leave your opinion or give me prompts! I'm a man with a creative mind, but I'm not adverse to the concept of writing oneshots for both fandoms.**

**And with that said, I bid you all a good day (or night), and until next time!**

_**P.S.: Don't forget to like and/or favorite! Whatever you chose.**_


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